Cal Poly says most of the structures at its Swanton Pacific Ranch in Santa Cruz County were lost to the CZU Lightning Complex fires.
The university says CAL FIRE is still restricting access to the area because the fire remains active but officials expect to learn more about the damage in the coming days.
At the 3,200-acre ranch, students experience living on a working ranch and are able to study a diverse ecosystem that includes a redwood forest, the Scotts Creek Watershed, and an expansive coastal grassland.
CAL FIRE says the CZU Lightning Complex has burned 78,000 acres and is just 13% contained.
Cal Poly says all students, staff, and livestock at the ranch were safely evacuated last week, but several students and staff who lived on the property full-time lost personal property in the fire.
