Over 2,000 People Told to Evacuate as Fire Breaks Out at Battery Plant in California: Reports

Moss Landing Power Plant burst into flames on Thursday, Jan. 16, according to reports

More than 2,000 people have been told to evacuate after a fire broke out at a battery plant in Northern California, according to reports.

On Thursday, Jan. 16, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that evacuation orders had been issued following the blaze, which occurred at Moss Landing Power Plant at around 3 p.m. local time, per CNN.

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office told the outlet that the fire was not connected to the Los Angeles wildfires.

Part of Highway 1 was closed early on Friday, Jan. 17, and the blaze was still burning but hadn't gone beyond the facility, per the Associated Press, citing Monterey County spokesperson Nicholas Pasculli.

Per CNN, evacuation orders were issued at around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday "due to concerns over hazardous materials and potential chemical releases," citing the sheriff's office spokesperson, who added that over 2,000 had been told to evacuate.

Clouds of "hazardous black smoke" and "huge flames" were seen at the plant on Thursday, The Mercury News reported.

The CAL FIRE San Mateo - Santa Cruz Unit X account posted, "From @sccounty Update at 8:45 PM on 1/16/25 - Due to an ongoing large fire in Moss Landing, Santa Cruz County Public Health officials are advising residents to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed, limit outdoor exposure, and turn off ventilation systems."

In an 11 p.m. update on Thursday, KSBW-TV reported that the blaze had "exploded into a huge inferno" earlier that evening, but the fire appeared to have since gone down almost eight hours after it started.

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The plant is owned by the Texas-based company Vistra Energy, per CNN, and the company said in a previous news release that the power plant was the "largest of its kind in the world" following a 2023 expansion.

A company spokesperson said in a statement, per the AP, “Our top priority is the safety of the community and our personnel, and Vistra deeply appreciates the continued assistance of our local emergency responders."

The news agency stated that it was unclear what started the fire, but the Vistra spokesperson said everyone at the site had been evacuated safely.

The facility, which is about 77 miles south of San Francisco, "contains tens of thousands of lithium batteries," according to the AP. The news agency stated that despite the batteries being "important for storing electricity from such renewable energy sources as solar energy," fires can be difficult to put out if a blaze occurs.

The North County Fire Protection District of Monterey, Vistra Energy and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.