At the outset of the blaze, the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office estimated that some 500 acres were already burned at the scene, near the 10000 block of Highway 166 in the Los Padres National Forest.

The blaze is burning in a desolate area of San Luis Obispo County, but its smoke has spread to two nearby counties.

The facility destroyed was located roughly a mile south of Esparto on the 26400 block of County Road 23 near County Road 86A.