Earlier this week emergency, health and safety agencies responded to a flare-up of last month’s battery fire at the Moss Landing Vistra Moss 300 Structure. Experts indicate these flare-ups are common when batteries are damaged, compromised or otherwise uncontained even within a debris pile. Agencies want to ensure that the community is aware of this potential until such time that the hazardous debris and remaining batteries can be removed from the debris footprint.
Below is a summary of events and actions taken as community health and safety remains a top priority.
Reignition
At 6:38 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18th, the North County Fire District and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reignition at the Vistra Moss 300 Structure, after smoke was detected around 6:00 p.m. The flare-up was contained to a previously burned structure from the initial January 16th incident. In response, North County Fire District mobilized County of Monterey Environmental Health, Department of Emergency Management, the County Administrative Officer and Public Information Officer, Salinas Fire Department Hazmat, Marina Fire Department, Cal Fire Monterey, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Weather Service, and the Monterey Bay Air Resource District for support.
By 3:00 a.m. on February 19th, the flare-up began to burn down. The flare-up is now contained, and agencies are continuing to monitor the site. It is anticipated that some wisps of smoke may still be visible today (February 20) and into tomorrow.
Air Monitoring
Air monitoring has remained in place and was active when the reignition occurred. The US EPA is overseeing the air quality monitoring at the site and in the surrounding community by CTEH, Vistra’s environmental consultant. During the flare-up, there were no sustained readings above the moderate level.
The Monterey Bay Area Resource District (MBARD) has reviewed smoke sensor data, and air quality has remained in the "good" (green) range through the flare-up according to the US EPA Air Quality Index. The public can view near real-time air quality data on MBARD Website.
Health and Safety Concerns
Should residents remain concerned and wish to take further steps to protect their health, County of Monterey Health Officials recommend that, when smoke is present, residents who live closest to the fire or smell smoke to limit outdoor activities, remain indoors, keep windows and doors closed, and adjust central air systems to recirculate indoor air or close outdoor air intakes to avoid drawing in smoky outdoor air. If required to be outdoors where smoke is present, individuals may consider wearing a well-fitting N95 respirator.
Smoke can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Sensitive populations and people who live in areas affected by smoke from the fire should seek medical guidance if respiratory symptoms develop or worsen.
Community Alerting, Advisories
Residents in the evacuation zones for the initial January 16th Vistra Moss 300 Structure fire were sent a community alert on February 18th regarding the reignition followed by suggested options to close doors and windows until further notice.
In response to public inquiries, the Department of Emergency Management clarifies that initial health alerts were issued only to those in the zones closest to the structure, as air quality data indicated no health risk to the wider community. The precautionary alert was issued to mitigate any potential concerns to the immediate surrounding area and data indicates all ranges are within normal limits. The Department of Emergency Management and County Administrative Office is currently re-evaluating Emergency Alert and Warning strategies related to future flare-ups or re-ignition of hazardous debris.
Vistra Moss 300 Structure Status
The Vistra Moss 300 Structure remains an active hazardous material area. While the immediate threat to the public is low, the site is still vulnerable to periodic reignition until the debris and remaining batteries within the affected site are removed. All other battery structures are offline.
As not all batteries were consumed in the January 16th fire, remaining modules containing batteries must be disconnected and isolated to prevent potential thermal runaway, a dangerous chain reaction that causes uncontrollable heating and increases the risk of ignition and spread to adjacent batteries. Vistra is preparing to de-link the remaining batteries on site to help reduce voltage within the modules and mitigate risks of overheating and thermal runaway. The process for battery and structural debris removal is in the beginning stage with a long road ahead. More information will be coming out about debris removal in the coming days.
The site continues to be monitored by fire, environmental, and public health agencies. Drones with thermal imaging are being deployed for real-time site updates, and while smoke may continue to be visible, the public is encouraged to remain alert to ongoing monitoring efforts. There remains a potential for reignition until the site is fully remediated.
Stay Informed
To receive ongoing updates, residents and interested parties are encouraged to register for alerts at Register | Portal Registration or visit Emergency | County of Monterey, CA. To check their zone, please visit Genasys Protect.
For additional inquiries, please visit:
https://www.readymontereycounty.org/emergency/2025-moss-landing-vistra-power-plant-fire
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