A severe forest fire in the south of France has exposed a cache of 400 historic shells and munitions in the village of Le Porge, local authorities reported on August 4, 2026. The wildfire, which ravaged the Gironde area for about 10 days and burned 42,000 hectares, is one of the largest since World War Two.
Mayor Martial Zaninetti described hearing more than 100 explosions on the second night of the fire, which he likened to "the sound of war." These blasts, initially suspected to be exploding gas cylinders, are believed to have been World War Two explosives detonated by the heat of the fires, according to the local fire commander.
"There were ammunition depots buried in land within our municipality, but we didn't know it, and they exploded," Zaninetti told France Info. The discovered munitions included both German and French mortar shells and anti-tank shells, as reported by French media.
More than 180 houses were destroyed by the wildfire. Demining operations have allowed most residents to return to their homes, although certain areas remain off-limits for safety reasons. The evacuated individuals are gradually returning, while France continues to manage the unprecedented crisis caused by the fires.
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