Devastating wildfires in the southwest of France have uncovered a hidden cache of Second World War-era shells in the village of Le Porge, adding an explosive edge to an already dangerous situation.
Dozens of unexploded munitions were discovered after loud explosions rattled the town, as flames swept through the area.
Mayor of Le Porge Martial Zaninetti said some of the shells made “war noises” as they were hurled across the area by the heat and force of the fire.
“Shells exploded; some went left and right, crossed areas. One even went through a house,” he was quoted as saying by France Info.
The discovery came during one of the most violent phases of the fire, which began mid July in the Gironde region, destroying more than 180 homes in Le Porge alone.
Local authorities said that the ordnance had been buried in the ground and their presence was unknown to the municipality before the blaze exposed them.
Firefighters and bomb disposal experts were sent in to secure the site. No one has been reported injured.
On Monday, de-miners were still working in the area, where 75 shells had already been recovered since Friday and more were believed to remain.
French and German munitions
The explosives were described as a mix of German and French munitions from the Second World War – mainly mortar shells, with some tank rounds.
One officer said: “It was not an official storage site; we do not really know why they were there, we think they had been somewhat abandoned."
The discovery has complicated the return of residents to parts of the town. Two housing estates remain sealed off while clearance continues, with warning signs reading: “Absolute danger of death, shells present."
Once the area is fully secured, the munitions will be taken to a military site for destruction.
The wildfire near Bordeaux has now been brought under control after burning more than 40,000 hectares in around 10 days, but the damage and the wartime legacy it uncovered have left the commune facing a double emergency.
(with newswires)
