More than 1,000 people are being evacuated after a blaze broke out in one of the largest battery storage facilities in the world on Thursday night prompting a full scale mobilization of firefighters across several counties in Northern California, according to local authorities.
Towering flames were visible from afar as a large black column of smoke rose from the Moss Landing power plant, with the fire showing no signs of easing in the early hours of Friday. It was first reported around 3pm local time.
The fire is located in the northern part of the sate some 300 miles (500 km) north of the wildfires in Los Angeles. The plant contains tens of thousands of lithium batteries, which can be extremely difficult to put out if they go up in flames.
The world‘s largest lithium battery facility at Vistra Power Plant in Moss Landing, CA continues to burn.
Officials have no timeline for extinguishing the toxic blaze, but for reference the last lithium battery fire in California burned for 11 days pic.twitter.com/Cwignva06F
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) January 17, 2025
