Fire and Brimstone in 2026

                                                                      Wildfire in Spain, July 2026

And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimestone.  

                                 Ezekiel 38: 22 KJV

It is haunting to read and hear about wildfires currently raging in France and Spain, hardly the countries we think about for these conflagrations. A very wet late Winter and Spring caused flooding and lots of growth in forests, followed by intense and prolonged heat. This combination has created ideal conditions for fast moving fires. 

There have been double-digit fatalities in both countries and in Spain most have been tourists. Some have ignored warnings to shelter in place, walking and driving to their deaths. A British family in Spain spoke about friends perishing after they headed away from their vacation home to flee the advancing fire. It may be that some of these victims couldn't comprehend the severity of the threat. Authorities are challenged to identify the remains of those who have died.

We might describe these scenes as hellish or hellacious, words based on a perception of the place of eternal torment. It's been a long time -- more than half a century -- since I heard in person a "fire and brimstone" sermon, a threatening rant about being consigned to hell rather than enjoying the promise of heaven. These sermons are intended to frighten and forewarn people about the risks of losing salvation if they make the wrong choices.

The assumption is that we should "get right with the Lord" before we meet our Maker, but what about the here and now? One of the dubious advantages of waking very earlier is being able to listen to documentaries and interviews from around the world on CBC Radio. The other morning I listened to a re-airing of an Ideas episode from May 2024 with John Vaillant,,  as the guest. He wrote the brilliant and sobering Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast, a book I've mentioned before.

Vaillant describes supercharged fires, including the massive blaze that overtook Fort McMurray, Alberta, which are so intense that they vaporize everything in their path. In Fort Mac homes burned so completely that even concrete foundations crumbled and lawn tractors disappeared. Somehow no one died but personal belongings and family mementoes were swept away. 

Vaillant contends that we live in what he calls the Petrocene — an age defined by the impact our dependence on fossil fuels is having on the planet. A new world of fire super-charged by the deepening climate crisis: "There's no such thing as a new normal. We are going into what I would call climate incognita, the unknown climate. And it's going to keep changing. And we're going to have to keep adapting and it's going to keep surprising us."

What struck me is his description of the emotional and psychological impact of these events on people, some of whom have lived through multiple evacuations. Even seasoned wildfire fighters are traumatized. He admitted that going through the transcripts of his interviews brought him to tears, and even speaking with host Nahlah Ayad brought back the emotion. 

Is this not "hell on Earth?, almost certainly accelerated by human induced climate change. Jesus didn't dwell on hell but he did invite us to live humbly and beware of hubris. We seem to be ignoring these directives. One person who survived a fire in Spain said that "you're left soulless." Those who who have ears to hear. let them hear", Jesus said.