diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cdb39510e8a7..0be15b74aeb1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 ### Changed
 
 ### Fixed
+- fixed memory leak affecting regional masking. Temporary ESMF field was created but never destroyed
 
 ### Removed
 
diff --git a/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataMasking.F90 b/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataMasking.F90
index b11bf4638e2f..8eef6711c3e3 100644
--- a/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataMasking.F90
+++ b/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataMasking.F90
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ subroutine evaluate_region_mask(this,state,var_name,rc)
           enddo
        end if
        deallocate( mask)
+       call ESMF_FieldDestroy(temp_field, noGarbage=.true., _RC)
 
       _RETURN(_SUCCESS)
    end subroutine evaluate_region_mask
@@ -256,6 +257,7 @@ subroutine evaluate_zone_mask(this,state,var_name,rc)
              where(limitS <= lats .and. lats <=limitN) var3d(:,:,i) = rvar3d(:,:,i)
           enddo
        end if
+       call ESMF_FieldDestroy(temp_field, noGarbage=.true., _RC)
 
       _RETURN(_SUCCESS)
    end subroutine evaluate_zone_mask
@@ -424,6 +426,7 @@ subroutine evaluate_box_mask(this,state,var_name,rc)
           end if
           deallocate(temp2d)
        end if
+       call ESMF_FieldDestroy(temp_field, noGarbage=.true., _RC)
 
        _RETURN(_SUCCESS)
   end subroutine evaluate_box_mask