County of Monterey to hold emergency meeting over Moss Landing fire
Updated: 1:26 AM PST Jan 17, 2025
ARE YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, AT THAT ROOF. OH, GO AHEAD, PLEASE GO DO THAT FIRST. YEAH, YEAH. SO? SO, DAN AND AARON, I’M JOINED BY COUNTY SUPERVISOR GLENN CHURCH, WHO REPRESENTS THIS AREA. AND GLENN PASSED BY HERE SHORTLY BEFORE WE WENT ON AIR AT 5:00. AND GLENN, WHEN YOU DROVE UP, WE WERE LOOKING AT A MUCH DIFFERENT SCENARIO. NOW WE’VE GOT THIS. I WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? WELL, YOU’RE RIGHT. WHEN WE WHEN WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, THE SMOKE SEEMED TO BE DISSIPATING. IT LOOKED LIKE WHAT WAS GOING ON WAS GOING TO BE UNDER CONTROL. THIS IS CLEARLY WORST CASE SCENARIO. THIS. THE FLAMES ARE UP HERE HUNDREDS OF FEET. IT’S A VERY SEVERE SITUATION. SEVERE, SCARY. IT HAS TO BE. THERE HAS TO BE SOME CONCERN. WE’VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH OUT TO COUNTY LEADERS. HAVE YOU BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM? I KNOW HAZMAT SHOWED UP. HAVE THEY MADE ANY DECISION OR ARE THEY PLANNING TO MAKE ANY DECISION TO CHANGE THE THEME OUT HERE FROM LIKE STAY INDOORS, CLOSE YOUR WINDOWS. COULD WE BE LOOKING AT A MANDATORY SHELTER IN PLACE? I KNOW WE’VE ALREADY CLOSED PART OF THE HIGHWAY. I THINK WHAT WE’RE GOING TO BE HAVING SOME INFORMATION WE’RE GOING TO BE RELEASING IT VERY SHORTLY ON THOSE PARTICULARS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. I’D RECOMMEND PEOPLE KEEP THEIR, YOU KNOW, THE WINDOWS CLOSED. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO DO. WHAT WE DO HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, NORTH COUNTY FIRE IS IN THE LEAD, BUT IT’S ALSO A UNIFIED COMMAND WITH THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND VISTRA, WHICH IS THE THE THE OPERATION FACILITY HERE. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE OUR THE COUNTY’S ALL ITS EMERGENCY OFFICIALS ON 24 OVER SEVEN STANDBY. AT THIS POINT THERE’S GOING TO BE A COMMAND CENTER SENT UP VERY SHORTLY. IT’S A VERY, VERY SERIOUS MATTER. WE’RE YOU KNOW, AND WE’RE VERY CONCERNED. AND GLENN, I WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ON AIR THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THROUGHOUT THE EVENING THAT WE’VE THIS AREA. IT’S BEEN THE SCENE OF SEVERAL FIRES, CLEARLY NOTHING LIKE THIS. AND THEN WITH THE 2023 FIRE THAT CLOSED DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND DID THE SHELTER IN PLACE, THERE WAS THE COMMUNITY OUTRAGE AND THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS. AND WHAT DO WE DO? HOW DO WE PREPARE? HOW CAN WE BE BETTER PREPARED? I THINK WHAT WE SEE NOW GOING ON BEHIND US, I THINK IT TAKES IT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. AND I THINK I THINK WE’RE PROBABLY GOING TO GO BACK TO THOSE MEETINGS, AND THIS IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE CLEARLY A MUCH LARGER LEARNING EXPERIENCE HERE. OH YEAH, DEFINITELY. WE’VE GOT TO TAKE A WHOLE NEW LOOK AT THIS AT THIS WAY. I MEAN, WE’VE BEEN GIVEN GUARANTEES FROM COMPANIES AND COMPANIES AND THOSE INVOLVED ON THIS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY THAT THEY’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THINGS UNDER CONTROL. I MEAN, I THINK WE’RE ALL WE’RE WE’RE COUNTING ON IT. THIS IS A NEW TECHNOLOGY. IT’S IT’S SOMETHING YOU YOU CAN’T ALWAYS MAKE PREDICTIONS ON WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT WHAT IS HERE IS AGAIN, THIS IS A WORST CASE SCENARIO. AND THAT MEANS WE GOT TO GO BACK TO A DRAWING BOARD ON WHAT WE’RE DOING WITH THIS. AND YOU BRING UP A PRETTY CLEAR POINT THAT BY THE LOOKS OF THIS, THIS BUILDING IS GOING TO BE A COMPLETE LOSS. EVERYTHING INSIDE THERE WILL BE DESTROYED IF IF NOT, THE WHOLE BUILDING. I MEAN, A MAJORITY OF IT. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AT THAT POINT, DO WE DECIDE TO REBUILD? DO WE DECIDE TO KEEP THIS AS THE I MEAN, WE WERE ALWAYS TOUTING THIS AS THE WORLD’S LARGEST BATTERY STORAGE FACILITY. NOW WE’VE GOT ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE BATTERIES. WHEN THESE GUYS COME BACK TO THE PLANNING BOARD, WE WANT TO REBUILD. THAT’S GOING TO BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT DISCUSSION. I ASSUME ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DISCUSSION. I MEAN, THERE’S OBVIOUSLY REAL SAFETY CONCERNS GOING ON HERE. AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT REALLY CLOSELY. I MEAN, THIS FACILITY WAS WAS BUILT AND APPROVED BEFORE I CAME ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THE FIRE, ACTUALLY, I THINK THE PREVIOUS FIRE HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE I WAS TO TAKE OFFICE A FEW MONTHS. I THINK IT WAS 22, ACTUALLY, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT’S SOME IT’S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE I DON’T WANT TO LAY OUT ANY PLANS AT THIS POINT. WE’RE STILL TAKING IN THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS. THIS HAS GOT TO BE PUT UNDER CONTROL. AND WE’VE GOT TO SEE DO THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, THE EXTENT OF THE OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT FAILED AND EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. AND, AND JUST TOTALLY REEXAMINE EVERYTHING AT THIS POINT. AND THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, THE CAUSE I MEAN, I WITH THE PREVIOUS FIRES, I MEAN, MANY TIMES WE HEARD OVERHEATING ISSUE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HERE. AND THEN WHEN YOU AND I WERE TALKING EARLIER, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE THE SUPPRESSION FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM BUILT INTO THIS FACILITY. AND IT SEEMED TO BE WORKING BECAUSE WHEN I WENT ON LIVE ON TV AT 5:00, THERE WASN’T ANY SMOKE COMING OUT OF THOSE VENTS. 515 IT STARTED EXPLODING AGAIN. YEAH, I THERE’S SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. AND AND THEN WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? YEAH, I, I, I, YOU KNOW, I CAN’T SEE WHERE WE GO FROM HERE OUTSIDE OF WE’VE GOT TO REALLY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THIS AND AND AND AND YOU’RE RIGHT, I MEAN, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS WORKING, BUT IT DIDN’T. AND THAT’S, THAT’S THE PROBLEM. SUPERVISOR, MAYBE THE LAST QUESTION. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE EXTENT OF THIS FIRE FIGHT IS? AND IF ANYTHING IS BEING DONE TO MAYBE IF WE CAN TRY TO EXTINGUISH THIS, I KNOW I WAS TOLD EARLIER THAT PROBABLY THE BEST DEFENSES FOAM. DO YOU KNOW IF THERE’S ANY FIRE FIGHT GOING ON, ANY EFFORT TO EXTINGUISH THIS? I HAVEN’T HAD AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH NORTH COUNTY FIRE. I DID SPEAK TO CHIEF MENDOZA BRIEFLY, BUT WE HAVEN’T GOTTEN INTO THOSE DETAILS YET, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A GOOD CREW OUT HERE, AND THEY THEY’LL DO THE RIGHT THING. SUPERVISOR ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, TO THE NEIGHBORS, TO THE BUSINESSES IN THIS AREA? NOTHING IN PARTICULAR, BUT I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE SAFE AND AND AND TAKE CARE HERE TONIGHT. HEY, FELIX. SUPERVISOR GLENN CHURCH, I APPRECIATE YOU STOPPING BY AND TALKING WITH US. YES, FELIX, CAN WE ASK SUPERVISOR CHURCH? YES. WHAT IS HE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT TODAY? WHAT IS HIS IMMEDIATE CONCERN FOR PEOPLE LIVING AROUND THAT PLANT? THE ANCHORS ARE ASKING, WHAT IS YOUR YOUR IMMEDIATE CONCERN, YOUR MAIN CONCERN RIGHT NOW FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING AROUND THIS AREA? WELL, JUST THE SAFETY OF EVERYBODY THAT’S THE CLOSEST TO THIS FIRE AT THIS POINT. AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO WE NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON ON EXACTLY WHAT WE CAN DO. I NEED TO KIND OF CHECK WITH THE FIRE OFFICIALS AT THIS POINT AND SEE WHERE WE’RE AT, AND SEE WHAT KIND OF DECISIONS TO BE MADE. I’M AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS HAS ONLY BEEN A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON. SO THERE’S THERE’S A LOT WE’RE WE’RE TAKING IN AT THIS POINT. BUT I THINK THE THING FOR PEOPLE TO DO IS JUST KEEP YOUR WINDOWS, YOU KNOW, KEEP YOUR WINDOWS CLOSED RIGHT NOW. AND MY, MY, MY BIG ADVICE AT THIS POINT IS THE COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE MEETING HERE WITH FIRE OFFICIALS, WITH THE SHERIFF, WITH VISTRA. AND WE’RE GOING TO BE ISSUING SOME STATEMENTS PRETTY SOON. EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE DOING, WHAT WHAT TO DO TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS GOING TO BE GOING ON ALL NIGHT. I THINK WE CAN I THAT’S PROBABLY A REASONABLE GUESS BECAUSE THESE BATTERIES DO BURN QUITE A WHILE. YES. SO WITH THAT SAID, WITH WITH THE MEETINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THE TALKS, HAVE WE HEARD FROM VISTRA, HAVE YOU PERSONALLY HEARD FROM VISTRA OR ANYBODY AT THE COUNTY LEVEL? I ONLY HEARD FROM VISTRA ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER IT STARTED. I GOT A CALL THAT IT HAD HAPPENED. IT WAS BEFORE WE SPOKE EARLIER. I HAVEN’T HAD ANY DETAILS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM AT THAT POINT, BUT YES, THE COUNTY OFFICIALS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE IN IN TOUCH WITH VISTRA BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE IN THERE. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS FAILING, WHAT IS THE DANGER. AND THAT’S THAT’S NOT STUFF THAT I’M PRIVY TO AT THIS POINT ON INFORMATION, BECAUSE I HAVEN’T HAD A CHANCE TO DOWN THAT DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF THAT DISCUSSION YOU HAD WITH VISTRA FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES? OH, IT WASN’T FOR 15 MINUTES. IT WAS ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER IT STARTED. AND IT WAS ONLY ABOUT A MINUTE OR TWO. AND HE JUST INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A FIRE THERE. AND THIS WAS ONE OF THEIR, ONE OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, JUST TO INFORM ME THAT THAT THIS WAS GOING ON. AND THEN I CAME OVER HERE AND HAPPENED TO SEE YOU, AND WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THE SMOKE, AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WASN’T GOING TO BE ANYTHING, ANYTHING AT ALL LIKE THIS. ALL RIGHT. PHOENIX, I MEAN, YOU SAID IT. THIS IS THE WORST NIGHTMARE. AND I APPRECIATE YOU STOPPING BY YOUR TIME. I KNOW THIS IS ALL FRESH AND THERE’S A LOT GOING ON. THERE’S A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES GOING ON, AND HOPEFULLY WE’RE GOING TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION. DAN AARON, I’M GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS BACK IN THE STUDIO. FELIX. THANK YOU. AND WE APPRECIATE SUPERVISOR CHURCH AND HIS TIME. IF Y
County of Monterey to hold emergency meeting over Moss Landing fire
Updated: 1:26 AM PST Jan 17, 2025
The County of Monterey Board of Supervisors is holding an emergency meeting over the Moss Landing battery plant fire Friday morning. The meeting will be held at the Castroville library at 8:30 a.m. Fire officials and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office will give a briefing about the fire.The public portion will be held over Zoom before the board goes into a closed session. Password: 882311One tap mobile+1-669-900-6833, 97932263506# US (San Jose)+1-213-338-8477, 97932263506# US (Los Angeles)After the meeting, a media conference will be held at the Castroville Library outside the plaza at 10 a.m.
MOSS LANDING, Calif. —The County of Monterey Board of Supervisors is holding an emergency meeting over the Moss Landing battery plant fire Friday morning.
The meeting will be held at the Castroville library at 8:30 a.m. Fire officials and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office will give a briefing about the fire.
The public portion will be held over Zoom before the board goes into a closed session.
Password: 882311One tap mobile+1-669-900-6833, 97932263506# US (San Jose)
+1-213-338-8477, 97932263506# US (Los Angeles)
After the meeting, a media conference will be held at the Castroville Library outside the plaza at 10 a.m.
