Firefighters have tackled another fire at Vistra’s Moss Landing lithium ion BESS in California — a facility still undergoing a clean-up after a devastating blaze in January 2025.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) confirmed it was called to the site again last month, after a fire broke out in the morning of September 18 and was eventually contained one day later.

The cause of the original and latest fires are still unknown.

In this September’s incident, which is under investigation, CAL FIRE said crews arrived to find smoke and fire coming from the north side of the facility. Firefighters also conducted evacuations and accounted for plant personnel while working to stabilise the situation.

The official Moss Landing response web site set up by Vistra to publicise developments since January 2025 did not comment on the latest fire.

However, campaign group ‘Never Again Moss Landing’ claimed the latest fire came just two weeks after the US Environmental Protection Agency and Vistra had started the final phase of clean-up.

The group claimed local residents were advised to shelter in their homes as emergency crews tackled the fire.

Batteries International reported in April 2026 that part of Moss Landing would never return to service.

Vistra said then that ‘Moss 100’, one of three BESS systems at the site, would not return to service because the cost of recommissioning would outweigh potential future revenues.

Meanwhile, Vistra said it was continuing to evaluate the potential restart of another part of the 300MW facility ― and revealed the cause of the 2025 was still unknown.