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.

French Minister of the Interior Laurent Nuñez said the situation remained “highly unfavourable”.

In a July 26 statement, Nuñez announced that five additional municipalities were evacuated overnight, with 2,500 firefighters, 1,500 military personnel, and 1,200 police officers and gendarmes mobilised. A further 450 members of civil security associations have also volunteered to assist.

He said: “The State's absolute priority remains the protection of the population. I once again call on everyone to exercise the utmost vigilance: in a context where weather conditions remain particularly unfavourable, the slightest imprudence can have dramatic consequences.”

In Spain, the wildfire has devastated around 125,000 acres of countryside in Avila, in the autonomous community of Castile and León.

The wildfire in Spain has become the largest forest fire in the history of autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said as he visited areas affected by the fire in La Mierla, Castilla-La Mancha, that “all levels of government are working side by side to tackle the fires" and will be there to provide resources to tackle the fires, as we are doing, but also to provide financial resources for the recovery of the affected areas”.

King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia visited families evacuated from their homes by the wildfire, many of whom escaped with only essential belongings. More than 100,000 people in Spain have been forced to evacuate following the wildfire, with authorities declaring a national emergency.

UK minister for intergovernmental relations Hamish Falconer told Sky News that the Government is preparing for possible wildfires.

He said: “Obviously there are wildfires in Scotland as well, and we're in touch with the Scottish Government about what support the British Government can provide.”

A wildfire in the Cairngorms in Scotland has been ongoing for 13 days, with hundreds of firefighters working to extinguish it.

Justice Secretary Neil Gray said on BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast: “The fire service’s response is to put the fire out, but there may well be investigations to establish for certain what has caused it.

On July 8, the National Fire Chiefs Council warned of an increased risk of fast-spreading wildfires across parts of the UK.

It said: “When both the days and nights remain warm and dry, grass, crops, heathland and woodland are less able to regain moisture, making it easier for fires to start and spread rapidly. If these conditions persist, the risk of larger, faster-moving and more challenging wildfire incidents is expected to increase in the coming days and weeks.”