Ben Affleck Returns To Unscathed Pacific Palisades Home After Fleeing Wildfire

The actor’s “bachelor pad” was one of the few places left unscathed by the disaster, although the area where it is located is still prone to possible new fires.

Ben Affleck bought the home for $20.5 million after splitting from his ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez, and was forced to evacuate due to the Pacific Palisades wildfires.

On Wednesday, Affleck returned to his home in Pacific Palisades, which he had evacuated the night before due to the increasing wildfires ripping through the neighborhood.

The actor’s home boasts 6,247 square feet, five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and cost him $20.5 million when he purchased it following his split from Lopez.

According to the Daily Mail, It is one of the houses yet to be ravaged by the scourge of the wildfires, which have been building up for days.

For his trip to his home, the actor donned a formal tan sports coat and a white dress shirt and arrived in a black SUV.

Despite Affleck’s return, the home is still in an evacuation zone, and reports have warned that increasing winds could ignite new fires.

In addition to evacuating from his home earlier, the actor assisted his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, and their children in evacuating, as they live in the same neighborhood.

Click here to see photos of Ben Affleck’s return.

The Pacific Palisades wildfire began shortly after Affleck and Lopez settled their divorce through mediation, avoiding a courtroom battle.

It officially marks the end of their relationship, following their whirlwind rekindling of romance in 2021, which led to a wedding in 2022.

While most of the details of the former couple’s divorce settlement will remain private, the Daily Mail reported that Lopez will keep the engagement ring Affleck gave her when he proposed.

The stunning piece features an extensive green diamond at the center, flanked by two elongated baguette diamonds, with a matching pair of trapezoid diamonds on either side.

The “Accountant” star reportedly paid around $5.6 million for the jewelry when it was purchased, and its value has likely increased since then.

Although Affleck was fortunate that his home survived, several other Hollywood stars in the Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas have watched their properties go up in flames.

Legendary actor Anthony Hopkins lost a stunning four-bedroom, five-bathroom home, which he purchased for $6 million in 2021.

Actors Adam Brody and Leighton Meester were also not so lucky, as they lost their $7 million mansion where they lived with their two young daughters.

Similarly, the blaze completely destroyed actress Anna Faris’s $5 million eco-friendly home and the homes of reality stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag.

According to reports, over 1,000 structures have been destroyed since the wildfires began.

Additionally, over 30,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes, while the Governor of California has declared a state of emergency.

The wildfires are said to have been prompted by a combination of drought-like conditions and powerful offshore winds that have hit the Los Angeles area since Tuesday.

Among them all, the Pacific Palisades fire appears to be the most destructive, having consumed over 17,234 acres since it began. It is now also being regarded as the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history.

The Eaton fire has also proven to be as destructive as the Palisades fire, with reports claiming it has destroyed over 10,000 acres as of Wednesday.

The San Fernando area has also been ravaged by the Hurst Fire, which began in Sylmar and quickly grew to consume 500 acres.

Other fires that have yet to be contained in the Los Angeles area include the Sunset fire and the Lidia fire, both ravaging the Hollywood Hills area and the community of Acton, respectively.

Experts have predicted that, due to increasing winds, the situation in the Pacific Palisades area will worsen before it improves.

“This event is not only not over, but it is just getting started and will get significantly worse before it gets better,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain shared in a briefing per the Los Angeles Times.

These winds have forced crews to ground firefighting aircraft that had been deploying water onto the blazes. The winds disperse the water or retardant before it can effectively reach the fire.

He also shared that due to the low humidity the area is experiencing, more wildfires could be ignited.

Swain has also called for people to be safety conscious and urged them to lend a helping hand to those in need.

“Please prioritize your safety, as well as the well-being of those around you, as we come together to continue to get through this widespread disaster,” Swain said, per NBC News.