A fire at the Vistra power plant in Moss Landing, California, triggered emergency evacuations and road closures on Thursday evening. The North County Fire Department responded to the blaze, prompting the Moss County Sheriff's Office to issue evacuation orders for specific zones in Moss Landing. These areas include locations south of Elkhorn Slough, north of Molera Road and Monterey Dunes Way, and west of Castroville Blvd and ElkHorn Road, extending to the ocean.
Monterey County officials utilized the emergency alert system to disseminate warnings and evacuation instructions. Highway 1 was temporarily closed, and residents near the power plant were advised to secure their homes. The North County Fire Department also recommended residents in zones MRY-B047 and MRY-B053 to close windows and doors and turn off air systems as a precautionary measure, urging people to avoid the area to facilitate emergency vehicle access.
Northbound traffic on Highway 1 was diverted at Highway 183, while southbound traffic was redirected to Struve Road. A temporary evacuation center was established at the Castroville Recreation Center (11261 Crane St., Castroville) to provide support for displaced residents.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation and will be assessed once the fire is fully extinguished. The severity of the fire and the extent of any damage to the power plant are currently unknown.
