Over the past week and a half the nation of Greece has been battling 586 forest wildfires in the hottest weather they’ve experienced in over 40 years. Tens of thousands of acres of forest have burned, one volunteer firefighter was killed and two more are in intensive care with burns, and more than 60,000 people had to flee their homes and the fires.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, “We managed to save lives, but we lost forests and property,” and called the wildfires “the greatest ecological catastrophe of the last few decades.”

Pray for the fires to be completely extinguished and for the people of Greece to seek comfort and help from God. One Pioneer worker says the situation is frightening and unpredictable and everyone is on alert and anxious. Pray that Greeks, as well as the many migrants who live there, might do what Paul encouraged the Philippians to do, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Nearby Turkey and Italy, as well as Algeria in North Africa and Siberia in northern Russia, as well as the western United States are all battling fires of catastrophic proportions. Scientists claim climate change is to blame.