It was about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, and Ventura resident Matthew Fienup was driving up the 101 Freeway to Santa Barbara.

In the previous days, several fierce and unpredictable fires had erupted in two of Southern Californias most iconic counties, Ventura and Los Angeles, and more would follow in the days to come.

Driving north along whats typically a stunningly beautiful stretch of California coast, Fienup could see a wall of fire to the right of the freeway. As he passed Faria Beach, about 15 miles north of the city of Ventura, there was some hope. The large palm tree nursery thats visible from the freeway was still there. When he drove back two hours later, it was gone.

It wasnt just on fire, it was gone. It had entirely burned down, Fienup recounted.

Fienup is the executive director of the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting at California Lutheran University. As a Ventura resident and an economics researcher, hes watched in horror as the Thomas fire has devastated the land he calls home.

The Thomas fire is the largest and most uncontrolled of five major blazes that have hit Southern California in the last week. Combined, the fires have burned through more than 250,000 acres in multiple counties and have affected more acreage in Southern California in one week than the 21 massive blazes combined that ravaged the northern part of California throughout the month of October.

The devastation the fire has wrought on the Ventura economy, Fienup says, will be felt for years.