A wild‑fire that scorched the Gironde region of southern France has revealed a cache of 400 World War Two shells and other munitions buried in the village of Le Porge, local authorities said on Tuesday.
The blasts heard during the fire, initially thought to be exploding gas cylinders, may have been the heat‑activated detonation of wartime explosives, explained the local fire commander to the press.
Mayor Martial Zaninetti likened the sound of more than 100 explosions on the second night to “the sound of war” and said the ammunition was “buried in land … and we didn’t know it.”
The de‑mining team has cleared most sites, allowing residents to return, but some areas, including the ocean access, a campsite and the village of La Jenny, remain closed for safety. It was reported that 180 houses were destroyed by the blaze.
The weapons included German and French mortar and anti‑tank shells, said French media. The discovery comes after the fires – which have scorched about 42,000 hectares – were finally brought under control after 10 days of burning.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu praised “the bravery of the firefighters” and noted that the evacuation has begun to ease, describing the fire‑fighting campaign as a “new phase.”
The wildfire has been one of Europe’s worst in two weeks, with more than 330,000 people evacuated mainly in France and Spain.
