The 2024-2025 wildfire season has been especially brutal in Los Angeles and Southern California, with fires igniting in the fall due to dry conditions and heat waves, then intensifying in late November and December with the help of Santa Ana winds. As of this writing, over 34,000 acres have burned, destroying more than 10,000 homes and businesses, and forcing over 180,000 people to evacuate, with 10 reported deaths. The fires continue to threaten large areas, devastating communities and ecosystems, while local, state, and federal firefighting teams work tirelessly to contain them. Many Catholic communities and creation care teams in the impacted areas have sprung into action to help — even as their own communities and churches have suffered. One such parish was Corpus Christi Catholic Church.
We at the Covenant pray for all of those devastated by the wildfires in California and their families. As a Catholic organization focused on climate justice and creation care, we believe in the deep interconnectedness of all creation. We recognize that this tragedy impacts not only people, their livelihoods, and their communities but all of God’s creation. The destruction of forests, wildlife habitats, and precious natural resources further emphasizes this interconnectedness.
While it is sometimes difficult to link specific natural disasters such as wildfires to climate change, scientific studies show that climate change is creating warmer, drier conditions that cause fire seasons in some regions like western North America to last longer and be more active. The Santa Ana winds, which caused the wildfires to spread rapidly, are exacerbated by climate change.
Catholic Climate Covenant urgently calls on the U.S. Catholic community and all people of goodwill to take action on climate change and to better care for God’s creation. Generous donations to Catholic Charities USA are a great first step to aid those who have lost everything.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this catastrophe. We are particularly grateful for the firefighters and emergency workers who are putting their lives on the line to protect our communities. Let us all hold them in prayer as they continue to face dangerous and unpredictable conditions.
A Prayer for Those Impacted by the Wildfires in Los Angeles
Loving God,
We lift up the people of Los Angeles affected by the wildfires.
Bring comfort to those who have lost loved ones and homes, and bring peace to those in fear.
Strengthen the firefighters and first responders working to protect lives.
We pray for the land, animals, and all of Your creation harmed by the flames.
May the earth heal and be restored through Your grace.
Inspire us to act with compassion and care for the environment.
We trust in Your mercy and place all those impacted in Your loving hands.
May Your peace reign in their hearts.
In Your name, we pray.
Amen.
We remain united in hope, prayer, and action, and we trust that through God’s grace, communities will rebuild, and the earth will heal. May the peace of Christ be with all affected by these fires, and may we continue to work as one in caring for creation and each other.
