 By January 2, 2018, the Thomas Fire had cost over $204 million to fight, and had forced over 104,607 residents to At its height, the Thomas Fire saw over 8,500 firefighters mobilized to fight it, which is the largest mobilization of firefighters for combating any wildfire in California history.The fire began on December 4, north of Santa Paula, near Steckel Park and south of Thomas Aquinas College from which the fire was named.Fast-moving, it quickly reached the city of Ventura, where over five hundred residences were destroyed that night.