Wildfires in France Reveal Four Hundred WWII Shells – Explosions Echoed War

Tue Sep 29 2026 10:09:49 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A blaze in south‑France’s Gironde county uncovered 400 World War II shells, sparking dozens of explosions and leaving many homes devastated. The incident highlights hidden dangers as fires revive old munitions.

A raging wildfire in the Gironde region of southern France exposed a cache of 400 World War II‑era shells buried in the village of Le Porge. Heat‑induced detonations produced more than a hundred explosions, echoing the sounds of wartime combat. Over 180 houses were destroyed, and demining teams are still clearing the area, with several zones declared off‑limits. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu praised firefighters’ efforts amid the crisis, noting the region’s gradual return to normalcy.

Continued wildfires in the Gironde region of southern France have unveiled a hidden cache of 400 World War II shells, according to local authorities.

The intense heat from the blaze caused the buried shells to detonate, producing dozens of explosions that startled residents and sounded eerily like wartime artillery.

Mayor Martial Zaninetti told local media that the village had been unaware of the ammunition deposits, noting that the explosions unfurled “to the right, to the left” and even shattered a house.

More than 180 structures were destroyed by the fire. Demining teams are now clearing the area, allowing most residents to return home, but authorities have kept several zones, including the shoreline, a campsite and the village of La Jenny, off‑limits.

In a statement on Instagram, Mayor Zaninetti raised concerns about the ongoing dangers, while Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu praised firefighters and described the battle against the fires as entering a “new phase” in the region, with evacuees slowly returning.

The incident underscores how climate‑driven disasters can unearth long‑buried wartime hazards, prompting calls for continued vigilance as the south‑west of France has suffered one of its largest forest fires since World War II.