The massive fire at one of the world's largest lithium battery storage plants in Northern California has shaken a local community worried about possible long-term impacts and brought scrutiny to the emerging industry's safety practices.

Sodium-ion batteries show promise as a cheaper, more resilient alternative to lithium-ion technology, but achieving market competitiveness will require major technological advances and supportive market conditions,

Experts have said that these types of fires will become more prevalent as the demand of electric vehicles and machinery continues to increase.

MOSS LANDING — Flames and smoke in the community of Moss Landing and the Elkhorn Slough area in northern Monterey County largely were just smoldering late Friday morning following a major fire at a battery storage plant that brought evacuations, closing Highway 1.

Fire crews are waiting for the flames to die out as lithium-ion batteries are tough to put out, as the flames continue to rise from the world’s largest lithium battery storage plant in California.

“About 135 lithium-ion battery fires were reported in Massachusetts last year, and we believe the true number is even higher,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “When these batteries are abused, overcharged, overheated, or defective, they can fail rapidly and violently in a fire or explosion that also releases toxic, flammable gases.”

Hundreds of people were ordered to evacuate early Jan. 17 after a major fire erupted at one of the world’s largest battery storage plants.

(CNN) — Evacuation orders remain in place after a fire broke out at a power plant facility in Central California Thursday night, officials said Friday.

The dramatic fire at the the Vistra battery storage plant, one of the world’s largest, caused the evacuation of 1,200 people in Northern Monterey County, closed Highway 1 and sent large clouds of toxic black smoke billowing from at one of the world’s largest battery storage plants.

A fire at a one of the world’s largest battery plants in California contained tens of thousands of lithium batteries that store power from renewable energy sources

As one of the world’s largest battery storage facilities burns just up the coast, Morro Bay residents are raising the alarm over the proposed construction of a similar plant in their city.