Fire Reignites at Moss Landing Lithium-Ion Battery Storage Facility in Monterey County
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. — Monterey County residents near Moss Landing were advised Tuesday evening to keep their windows and doors closed overnight after a fire broke out around 6:30 p.m. at the Vistra Energy lithium-ion battery storage facility near Moss Landing Harbor.
The same facility experienced a major fire in January, prompting evacuations due to potential smoke hazards.
As of Wednesday morning, no evacuation orders had been issued, according to local fire officials. While the smoke cleared, authorities said efforts are underway to prevent another incident.
“We are working with Vistra to delink the batteries, disconnecting them to reduce the risk of propagation and a larger fire,” said Eric Sandusky of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The delinking process is scheduled to begin Saturday.
Officials reported that the fire reignited overnight in a previously burned section, with visible flames at times. The batteries were smoldering under debris, but officials did not expect the fire to spread.
“At this time, we have not seen any indication of adverse health effects to the public,” Sandusky said.
Monterey County officials said they are testing for metal contamination, with results expected in the coming weeks. While they maintain there is no immediate risk, they advised residents to take extra precautions.
Some locals expressed concern over the renewed activity at the site.
“I woke my dad up. He lives in South Watsonville, near the Monterey County line,” said Santa Cruz County resident Zenith Star. “He sleeps with the windows open, and at the time, the wind was blowing north. You don’t want to breathe that in.”
Vistra Energy assured the community it is working closely with first responders.
Earlier this month, Moss Landing residents filed a lawsuit against Vistra and PG&E over the January fire. The suit alleges Vistra failed to implement safety measures and comply with updated standards, while also holding PG&E responsible for the facility’s design.
High Cobalt Levels Found in Soil Samples
The first data samples and relief updates for those affected by the Vistra fire were shared at a Monterey County news briefing Wednesday afternoon.
Preliminary data from the Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau revealed high cobalt levels in soil samples near the Vistra Energy site, exceeding screening thresholds. However, nickel, manganese, and copper were found at normal levels.
Water samples did not exceed maximum contaminant levels for these metals.
San Jose State University’s Moss Landing Marine Laboratory previously found high concentrations of nickel, cobalt, and manganese (NCM) nanoparticles in soil samples from the Elkhorn Slough Reserve near the Moss Landing Power Plant.
Despite these findings, county officials stressed that the data remains preliminary.
“Do not misconstrue this as final results. This is just one piece of the puzzle,” said Monterey County official Encarnacion.
“Many professionals might hesitate to release incomplete information, but given what we’ve learned in recent years, it’s important to keep the public informed as we receive updates,” he added.
