Yale University freshman Violet Affleck revealed that she experienced a series of month-long disagreements with her mother, actress Jennifer Garner, while they took shelter in a Los Angeles, California hotel. This occurred during the destructive wildfires in January that severely impacted their Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
The 19-year-old daughter of Garner and Ben Affleck detailed these familial tensions in a scholarly article published on May 18 in the Yale University’s Global Health Review. Her paper, titled “A Chronically Ill Earth: COVID Organizing as a Model Climate Response in Los Angeles,” begins with a candid account of the household conflicts during the disaster.
“I spent the January fires in Los Angeles arguing with my mother in a hotel room,” Violet wrote as part of her analysis on the interplay between climate crises and public health strategies.
The disputes arose from differing family reactions to the fires that ignited on January 7, 2025. Violet described her mother as being overwhelmed by the widespread destruction in their long-time residential area. Having grown up in Los Angeles, Violet, who is knowledgeable about climate science, expressed that her concern was not if, but when, the Palisades would be affected by fire damage.
The Yale student expressed her dissatisfaction with how adults perceived the emergency. She recalled conversations with other displaced individuals who attributed the fires to strong winds and lack of rain, rather than climate-related factors. She noted that many focused on rebuilding timelines, financial implications, and the seemingly unusual nature of the crisis.
The January fires were among the most devastating incidents in California’s history, resulting in over 30 fatalities and displacing more than 200,000 residents. The fires destroyed over 18,000 homes and businesses across approximately 22 square miles.
The Palisades Fire affected nearly 38 square miles in Pacific Palisades and parts of Malibu, while the Eaton Fire devastated over 22 square miles north of Pasadena. High Santa Ana winds, reaching speeds of 100 mph in some areas, and severe drought conditions exacerbated the fires’ spread.
Tensions within the family extended to Violet’s younger sibling. She described interactions with her 13-year-old brother, Samuel, who asked about the link between global warming and wind speeds. “Hopefully, most of us understand the climate crisis better than my little brother,” Violet responded.
In her academic writing, Violet argued that climate change represents a significant and escalating threat, driven by high consumption patterns among affluent populations in wealthy countries. She noted that these behaviors have already subjected much of America and the world to extreme temperatures, shifting fire and flood patterns, rising ocean levels, and agricultural challenges.
Her paper compared the responses to wildfires with reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing society’s inclination toward normalcy rather than addressing systemic issues. Violet suggested that community reactions to disasters like the Los Angeles fires demonstrate ongoing approaches to climate issues similar to pandemic responses, focusing on returning to routine rather than addressing root causes.
Violet’s public health advocacy began before the wildfire crisis. In July 2024, she spoke before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors about mask policies, revealing that she contracted an illness in 2019. “I contracted a post-viral condition in 2019. I’m OK now, but I saw firsthand that medicine does not always have answers to the consequences of even minor viruses,” she explained.
She highlighted that one-tenth of infections lead to long COVID, which she described as a severe neurological and cardiovascular condition that can impair individuals’ ability to work, see, move, and think.
The Pacific Palisades area holds significant meaning for the Affleck-Garner family, as Garner has lived in or near the community for 25 years, raising her three children with Ben Affleck there. The divorced couple, married in 2005 and separated in 2018, also have children Fin, 16, and Samuel, 13, along with Violet.
Following the fires, Garner expressed survivor’s guilt during an interview, stating she felt conflicted while observing her undamaged home. She questioned how she could help others and what resources she could offer, given her secure circumstances.
The Palisades Fire started around 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time on January 7, initially covering about 10 acres. Strong wind conditions allowed the fire to spread rapidly, consuming the equivalent of three football fields per minute at its peak. The fire expanded from 20 to 200 acres within 20 minutes.
The Palisades Fire destroyed 6,837 structures, making it the most destructive fire incident in Los Angeles. On January 31, 2025, fire suppression teams declared full containment of both major fires, ending 24 days of emergency efforts.
Violet concluded her Yale paper with a call for climate action. She compared individuals aware of COVID-19 and disabilities celebrating disease prevention with climate researchers who recognize that preventing each degree of temperature rise is a win. “It’s time for everyone who cares about the latter to engage with the people, the methods, and the political commitments that make the former possible,” she concluded.
