France wildfires reveal hundreds of WW2 shells in village
Explosions heard in Le Porge as the wildfires raged are believed to have have been the old munitions.
Hundreds of World War Two shells have been uncovered in the French village of Le Porge, following a recent wildfire.
Local authorities reported that a forest fire in southern France unearthed a cache of 400 historical shells and munitions. The blasts, initially believed to be exploding gas cylinders, may have been World War Two explosives detonated by the intense heat of the fires, according to the local fire commander speaking to local media.
Mayor Martial Zaninetti informed French news outlet France Info that over 100 explosions were heard on the second night of the fire, describing the sound as "the sound of war."
While demining operations have allowed most residents to return home, the mayor stated that certain areas remain restricted. The wildfire destroyed more than 180 houses in the vicinity.
Zaninetti told France Info, "There were ammunition depots buried in land within our municipality, but we didn't know it, and they exploded." He recounted them going "to the right, to the left" and mentioned "even one that went through a house."
On Monday, the mayor posted on Instagram that access to the ocean, a campsite, and the village of La Jenny was still prohibited. French media indicated that the unearthed historical weapons were both German and French, comprising mortar shells and anti-tank shells.
This discovery follows a forest fire that devastated the Gironde area for approximately 10 days before being brought under control. Images from Le Porge on Monday depicted families sifting through the charred remnants of their homes.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Le Cornu expressed gratitude to firefighters on Monday, stating that "France has stood firm in the face of an unprecedented crisis." He noted that the fight against the fires in the Gironde region had entered a "new phase," with "the evacuated individuals are gradually returning to their homes."
Over the past two weeks, wildfires have swept across Europe, particularly in France and Spain, leading to the evacuation of more than 330,000 people. France was among the hardest-hit regions, with 42,000 hectares burned in the south-west, making it one of the largest forest fires since World War Two.