The bishops of France have called on Catholics to welcome the displaced, as another 4,000 people have been evacuated.

More than 220,000 people in total have been forced to flee, with France seeing its largest wildfire since 1949. The French bishops encouraged parishes to remain open where possible as places of welcome for those displaced.

In a July 28 statement, the Bishops’ Conference of France stated: “Firefighters were seriously injured and some even lost their lives in this fierce fight against the flames. At the same time, other territories suffered episodes of hail of exceptional violence. In a few minutes, entire crops are wiped out, leaving farmers destitute with the disappearance of their crops, vineyards, orchards or fields.

“To all those affected by these disasters and forced to evacuate their homes, to those who have lost their property or the fruits of their labour, to the injured firefighters, as well as to the families of those who have offered their lives, we want to express our closeness. We assure them of our prayers.

“We invite Catholics to generously take part in the outpourings of solidarity that are taking place. We encourage parishes to keep their churches open, when possible: many offer a cool refuge in the summer heat. Parish halls can also become places of welcome for displaced people, in order to offer them the rest, comfort and concrete help they need.”

French President Emmanuel Macron thanked the Pope this week, who had called for prayers in the face of the wildfires. The French President led a crisis cabinet meeting on July 28 as the Government co-ordinated its response.

One of the wildfires has reached nine miles from Bordeaux. The mayor of Bordeaux, Thomas Cazenave, said he was preparing for all eventualities and to accommodate a large number of people if further evacuations were ordered.

In Spain, the wildfire is the largest forest fire in the history of the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha at around 190,000 acres, covering an area almost the size of New York City. Some 100,000 people have been evacuated across the country.

Heatwaves in France and Spain are preparing for new heatwaves that continue through the week, making for conditions the French Minister of the Interior Laurent Nuñez described as “highly unfavourable”. It is expected that temperatures are expected to exceed 40C in some regions.

Nuñez said that in the Var region, an individual was apprehended in connection with the wildfires.

He said: “I would like to commend the tireless work of the investigators from the gendarmerie and the police for putting an end to these incomprehensible and unacceptable behaviours. Since the start of summer, the internal security forces have apprehended 184 individuals.

“For we are showing total determination to identify every arsonist: no leniency toward those who endanger lives, expose our firefighters to risk, and destroy our heritage.”