A fire at a battery power plant in Central California triggered evacuation orders and road closures Thursday night.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders Thursday evening and health officials urged residents to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed, limited outdoor exposure, and turn off ventilation systems. You can see the full evacuation map here.
The areas under evacuation orders include areas of Moss Landing south of the Elkhorn Slough, north of Molera Road and Monterey Dunes Way, and west of Castroville Boulevard and ElkHorn Road to the ocean, according to the sheriff’s office. The Castroville Recreation Center is being used as a temporary evacuation point.
The fire was first reported around 3 p.m. Thursday at the Vistra Power Plant in Moss Landing, according to reporting from KSBW, a television station in the area. The company touts the Moss Landing facility as one of the world’s largest battery storage plants.
The Texas-based energy company provided a statement to KSBW that confirmed all personnel on site were safely evacuated.
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Cause of the fire under investigation
“The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but an investigation will begin once the fire is extinguished,” Vistra told KSBW in the statement.
USA TODAY reached out to Vistra Energy for comment.
The North Monterey County United School District issued a statement early Friday morning saying that all schools and offices will be closed on Friday due to the fire.
The California Highway Patrol closed Highway 1 around the plant, and other roads in the area are also affected.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].