Pope Francis expressed his sorrow over the devastation caused by the massive wildfires in California, sending a telegram to the Archbishop of Los Angeles. In his message, the pontiff expressed his “spiritual closeness” with the victims and their families, as he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and the widespread destruction caused by the fires. Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin conveyed the pope’s words of sympathy on Saturday.
The wildfires have left at least 11 people dead, with thousands of homes reduced to ashes. The destruction was so severe that U.S. President Joe Biden compared the devastation to scenes of war. As the fires ravaged entire neighborhoods, the residents of Los Angeles struggled to come to terms with the horrific damage to their homes and lives.
In the aftermath of the disaster, there has been growing anger over the authorities’ response, particularly regarding several false evacuation alarms and reports that fire hydrants ran dry during the initial firefighting efforts. Governor Gavin Newsom has demanded a “full independent review” of the city’s utility services, calling the lack of water supplies “deeply troubling” and requesting explanations for the failures during the early stages of the crisis.
As of now, five separate fires have burned more than 37,000 acres (15,000 hectares), destroying approximately 10,000 buildings. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the latest death on Friday, raising the toll to 11. The scale of the destruction continues to be assessed as authorities work to contain the fires and support those affected.