Pope Leo XIV has asked for prayers for those affected by the devastating wildfires in France and Spain, which have so far displaced more than 300,000 people.
The Pope said on Sunday, July 26, during the Angelus at Castel Gandolfo: “In light of the devastating wildfires that have affected various parts of France and Spain in recent days, I wish to express my closeness and invite everyone to pray for those who have been affected and for the tireless efforts of the emergency responders."
French President Emmanuel Macron chaired an interministerial crisis cabinet meeting on July 27 in response to the fire, which originated in Gironde, south-west France, on 22 July. The wildfire has so far burned more than 100,000 acres in France, fuelled by a prolonged period of drought and extreme heat. In Bordeaux, Mayor Thomas Cazenave said the fire was about 15km away from the entry points to the city.
