The Moss Landing fire at a lithium battery plant has poured smoke into the sky above Monterey County. The weather service forecasts wind to push it east.

The dramatic fire at the the Vistra battery storage plant, one of the world’s largest, caused the evacuation of 1,200 people in Northern Monterey County, closed Highway 1 and sent large clouds of toxic black smoke billowing from at one of the world’s largest battery storage plants.

Then in September 2022, a fire broke out at the PG&E Elkhorn battery plant. Police closed Highway 1 for 12 hours. An investigation found it was caused by an improperly installed vent shield on one of the 256 units, which allowed rainwater to get in and short out the batteries. There were no injuries to firefighters, PG&E employees or the public.

A fire has been confirmed at the Vistra Power Plant in Moss Landing on Thursday which is forcing evacuations and closing roads in the area.

A fire broke out at one of the world's largest battery storage plants in California's Monterey County on Thursday.

Evacuations ordered and Highway 1 was closed in Monterey County after a fire erupted at the Moss Landing Power Plant.

Flames continued to spew early Friday morning in the community of Moss Landing and the Elkhorn Slough area in northern Monterey County after a major fire at a battery storage plant that brought evacuations.

A plume of material released from the plant contained hydroflouride, a toxic gas, that is now being monitored by Monterey County.

There needs to be some accountability,” Church said in a press conference Friday, noting this was the fourth fire in five years at Moss Landing battery facilities.

Local and state leaders will be holding a media briefing on the rekindeled fire that broke out at the Moss Landing battery plant on Friday. Mere hours after local officials held a media conference on the first fire that started on Thursday evening. Assemblymember Dawn Addis as well as Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church will host the event.

People living near a power plant in Central California were ordered to evacuate their homes Thursday night after a fire broke out at the facility, officials said.