Ben Affleck embraces teen daughter as ex-wife Jennifer Garner grieves amid LA wildfires
Ben Affleck has been joined by his daughter Violet as the actor continues to keep a close eye on his Brentwood home as the LA fires continue to blaze.
Ben lives in the Brentwood neighborhood which connects to Pacific Palisades, where his ex-wife Jennifer Garner has built her own home where she lives with their children, including Fin and Samuel.
On Saturday, Ben was pictured embracing Violet after returning to his $20.5 million home which so far has been spared. The home has been in the mandatory evacuation area since Wednesday January 8 but Ben has remained in the area, staying close to his family including helping ex-wife Jennifer and their three children escape from the fires.
The Batman actor was seen rushing to Jennifer's home in the Palisades as evacuation orders came through for those living in the path of the wildfire on late Tuesday January 7. Ben was also seen checking on neighbors.
Jennifer and Ben have been raising their children for two decades in the neighboring communities, and since their split in 2018 have continued to coparent.
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Jennifer spoke live on air on Friday January 10 about the impact the fires have had as she returned to the razed neighborhood to help Chef Jose Andres and his organization World Central Kitchen who are providing meals for first responders.
Jennifer and MSNBC reporter Katy Tur spoke movingly of the United Methodist Church, which they both attended, and which is now rubble.
"It's my family's church and it's where my kids went to Sunday school," said an emotional Jennifer. "We lit the advent candle there together a few weeks ago, we watched the kids perform, it's a preschool, a central place for our community, it's a gathering point for our community of really cool, quirky and mostly blue collar people and I loved belonging there."
"My heart bleeds for my friends," Jennifer continued. "I can think of 100 families, friends, who lost their homes. I feel guilty walking through my house. What can I offer with these hands and walls?"
Several fires have swept through 39,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area; more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed across several communities.
11 people have died so far, and the Los Angeles County sheriff has admitted he fears the number will rise as the fires continue to spread. At least 13 people are missing.
The Palisades Fire continues to blaze and is now over 21,000 acres, less than 11% contained. The fire exploded overnight into the morning of January 11 and is surging toward the Brentwood and Encino neighborhoods, forcing further evacuations.
The Eaton Fire, in the hills above Altadena, destroyed several communities, and remains at 15% contained but is moving further into the mountains.
Thousands of Angelenos have begun volunteering and donating to help displaced families including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who made an unannounced visit to the community of Pasadena on Friday January 10 to volunteer alongside Chef Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen.
