The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has launched a relief effort to support members and firefighters affected by massive wildfires tearing through France and Spain. As one of the largest wildfire emergencies in recent French history has displaced more than 250,000 people, Church leaders are coordinating local efforts to provide food, shelter, and essential supplies to those in need.
Relief Efforts in France
In southwestern France, the wildfire crisis has reached catastrophic proportions, with an uncontained blaze described as being four times the size of Paris. According to reporting by The Church News, the fires have led to the evacuation of more than 250,000 people across the region. In the Bordeaux area, the situation remains critical as a heat wave brings temperatures approaching 104 degrees Fahrenheit and strong winds, complicating efforts to contain the flames.
Local Church leadership has moved quickly to address the humanitarian crisis. In Lormont, France, located just north of the wildfires, leaders opened the local meetinghouse to serve as an emergency reception center. The facility has provided a place for evacuees to sleep and has been used to distribute meals during the initial nights following evacuation orders. Church members have also been working at two other nearby reception centers to provide food, clothing, and other essential supplies, while simultaneously sorting donations to identify unmet needs.
Displaced Members and Leadership
The wildfires have had a direct impact on local congregations, affecting three Latter-day Saint wards. In the Eysines ward, nearly the entire congregation was evacuated. In total, approximately 200 Church members have been displaced by the fires. These members have been welcomed into the homes of other members or are being accommodated at the Lormont meetinghouse, according to Church reports.
Senior Church leaders are working on the ground to coordinate these humanitarian efforts. Elder Ruben V. Alliaud, a General Authority Seventy who serves as president of the Church’s Europe Central Area, is working alongside representatives from the Welfare and Self-Reliance Department. They are supporting Bordeaux France Stake President Julien Raveneau and local Bishop Tom Darguence, who are directing and coordinating the local response efforts.
Support for Front-Line Responders
Beyond providing shelter, the Church has focused on supporting firefighters working on the front lines. Church volunteers have acquired several trucks loaded with large water containers to help relieve exhausted firefighters battling the blaze. In Bordeaux, volunteers from the Godmother Foundation, a Catholic NGO, have worked to organize food supplies provided by the Church to assist those displaced by the fires.
Despite some progress made by firefighters in slowing the spread of the fire due to favorable weather conditions, the threat remains high. Elder Alliaud warned that the situation is far from over due to the combination of enormous burned areas, destroyed homes, mass evacuations, and an ongoing heat wave. "We want our members to be prepared," Alliaud said, noting that the scale of the destruction remains significant.
Crisis in Spain
The crisis is not limited to France; wildfires have also spread rapidly across Spain. In Madrid and the Ávila province, more than 60,000 people were evacuated at the height of the crisis. While the situation in Spain is showing signs of improvement and many evacuees have been allowed to return home, the Church continues to evaluate humanitarian needs alongside nonprofit organizations in the area.
In a significant development for the region, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez lifted the state of emergency over the wildfires on July 30, 2026, as reported by Le Monde. While this indicates some improvement in the crisis, the Church remains engaged in evaluating how to best assist those affected by the environmental devastation.
Spiritual Support
Elder Gérald Caussé, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, expressed personal condolences for the victims in a social media post on July 30. He noted that having lived much of his life in one of the hardest-hit regions of France, the destruction is deeply personal to him and his family.
"In moments of uncertainty and sorrow, I know we can find peace in the assurance that our loving Heavenly Father is mindful of each of us," Caussé wrote, offering spiritual support to those grappling with the loss of homes and community stability.
Ongoing Humanitarian Response
As the fires continue to impact the region, the Church remains focused on its mission of service. By leveraging local meetinghouses, coordinating with NGOs like the Godmother Foundation, and mobilizing volunteers to support both evacuees and emergency responders, the Church seeks to mitigate the impact of these historic wildfires in Western Europe.
