The city of Los Angeles continues to grieve as the Palisades and Eaton fires blazed through the weekend. After a week of devastation, the Southern California wildfires have burnt around 60 square miles, per CNN — a footprint larger than the size of Paris. With over 100,000 Angelenos under evacuation orders, thousands of homes lost, and at least 24 dead, the city’s state of emergency has been felt by residents from all walks of life. Among those sharing their grief is Jennifer Garner, who told MSNBC Friday that she’d lost a friend to the fires.
“I did lose a friend, and for our church it’s really tender,” Garner said. “So I don’t feel like I should talk about her yet. But yeah, I did lose a friend who did not get out in time.”
The 52-year-old, who shares three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck, noted that she’s lived in and around the Pacific Palisades for 25 years and can “write out a list of 100 friends who lost their homes.” “I feel almost guilty walking through my house,” Garner added, though she did not clarify if her home had incurred any damage from the fires. “What can I do? How can I help? What can I offer? What do I have to offer with these hands and these walls and the safety that I have?”
As her heart “bleeds” for her friends, Garner has stayed busy by lending a hand to World Central Kitchen, which delivers aid and meals to victims of disasters around the world. As of Monday, Santa Ana winds have picked back up and the fire threat remains high, with another 87,000 Los Angeles County residents under evacuation warning. Per CNN, California governor Gavin Newsom says there are “likely to be a lot more” deaths, as dozens are still missing. “We are adapting,” World Central Kitchen founder Chef José Andrés said alongside Garner. “Because the situation keeps evolving day by day.”