Ben Affleck returned to an unwelcome surprise on Tuesday when he arrived home as a massive wildfire engulfing part of the Los Angeles’ west side was in view.
The 52-year-old A-lister was pictured driving up to the bachelor pad he has been renting in Los Angeles’ tony Pacific Palisades neighborhood since his split from Jennifer Lopez.
He appeared to have a shocked expression on his face as he rolled up with his window down, despite the poor air quality due to the nearby wildfire.
In addition to destroying multiple homes in the upscale neighborhood, the blaze also led to the cancellation of multiple Hollywood premieres, including the event for his ex Jennifer’s latest film Unstoppable.
Ben is a producer on the film — along with his best friend Matt Damon — but it’s unclear if he planned to attend the premiere, as he has largely sat out publicity events for the inspirational sports drama in order to keep the focus on Jennifer’s work on screen.
Ben was dressed up for the evening in a navy blue suit and a white dress shirt, though he left it unbuttoned and tie-free.
Ben Affleck, 52, returned home to his Pacific Palisades house on Tuesday night, only to find that the rapidly advancing wildfire nearby was within sight
It’s unclear how far the fire may advance over night, but it has already devastated the homes of some stars in the area, and many more live in the affected area.
Ben’s westside neighborhood of Pacific Palisades is home to a bevy of stars, including Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks, Miles Teller, Reese Witherspoon, Adam Sandler and Jhene Aiko, among others.
Actor James Woods shared footage of the blaze to Instagram on Tuesday as he announced that he was evacuating.
The wildfire has already engulfed more than 1,200 acres in the area, which is sparsely populated with massive celebrity estates surrounded by vegetation-covered hills, which has left plenty of fuel for the fire, unlike denser neighborhoods further inland.
The Armageddon star has only been living in the neighborhood for a short time after he bought a home in the area for $20.5 million following his separation from Jennifer Lopez.
Although it’s far from the opulent retreat that he and his ex had lived in together in Beverly Hills, it’s far from tiny with 6,247 square feet and five bedrooms and six bathrooms.
Prior to that he had been living in the massive, 38,000 square foot Georgian mansion that he and Lopez purchased for $60 million.
It boasts 12 bedrooms and 24 bathroom and features numerous amenities, including a 12-car garage and an elevator, but so far the couple haven’t found a buyer after putting it on the market for $68 million.
The actor looked shocked as he sat in his car. He was dressed in a navy blue suit and a white dress shirt after heading home from his office
The fire has led to multiple film premiere cancellations, including one for his ex Jennifer Affleck’s film Unstoppable, which he produced; seen together in February 2024 in Hollywood
It’s unclear if Ben planned to attend the premiere, as he has skipped most publicity events in order to keep the focus on Lopez, the film’s star; Lopez is pictured in Unstoppable
After separating from Jennifer — but prior to her going public with her divorce filing — Ben had been seen living in a Brentwood rental, which isn’t too far from his current home and kept him in the same neighborhood that his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and his children live in.
Stars across Hollywood reacted with shock and concern on social media as the fires spread thanks to winds sweeping through Los Angeles that at times exceeded 100mph.
‘Please send prayers and strength tonight to everyone in Los Angeles affected by these devastating fires. Los Angeles is in a state of emergency and over 30,000 have been ordered to evacuate,’ Chris Pratt captioned a photo of a firefighter battling the blaze on social media.
The Hills star Spencer Pratt was one of the unlucky people whose home was engulfed in the rapidly advancing wildfire.
He was seen watching the fire approach his Pacific Palisades home from a nearby hill and shot a video of an airplane dropping water on a nearby hill earlier in the day, but he and his wife Heidi Montag were forced to evacuate with their two young boys later before their house was burned to the ground.
The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that the Getty Villa, a museum designed in the image of an ancient Roman villa, was threatened by the wildfire.
Some of the vegetation on the museum estate had been burned, but the buildings on the campus were reportedly still safe, and the artwork and sculptures had been sealed to prevent smoke damage.
Katherine E. Fleming, the president and chief executive of the J. Paul Getty Trust, boasted in a statement that the Getty Villa had made ‘extensive efforts to clear brush from the surrounding area as part of its fire mitigation efforts throughout the year.’
The entire city has been hit with severe wind exceeding 100mph in some areas, which resulted in wildfires raging through 1,200 acres of the Pacific Palisades forcing thousands to evacuate (pictured Tuesday)
Numerous celebrities, including Tom Hanks, Chris Pratt and Reese Witherspoon, live in the evacuation zone. The Hills star Spencer Pratt filmed an airplane dropping water on a nearby hill before the fire later destroyed the home he shares with Heidi Montag and their two boys
Eugene Levy, 78, was among the Pacific Palisades residents caught in the gridlock of residents fleeing the upscale area amid a fast-moving wildfire in the LA hillsides, exacerbated by a fierce windstorm; Pictured in January 2019 in LA
‘Some trees and vegetation on site have burned, but staff and the collection remain safe,’ she said.
The dry and extremely windy condition have allowed a second fire to start in Altadena further east, which led residents in nearby Pasadena to evacuate.
As Westside residents rushed in a panic to escape at the last minute, numerous people got stuck in enormous traffic jams, including Schitt’s Creek star Eugene Levy.
Many drivers ultimately abandoned their cars in the streets and proceeded on foot, and fire crews were forced to bulldoze rows of cars in order to get into the affected areas.
