A massive wildfire near Bordeaux has exposed hundreds of unexploded World War Two shells in the village of Le Porge, prompting demining operations before residents could return home. Around 400 projectiles and munitions were recovered, including French mortar rounds and German anti-tank shells believed abandoned during the 1939–1945 conflict.
More than 180 houses were destroyed in Le Porge, the hardest-hit municipality in Gironde. During the blaze, explosions initially mistaken for gas cylinders were likely detonated ordnance set off by the fire's heat. Most residents returned to their homes by Monday evening, though some areas remained off-limits pending further clearance.
The fire, which burned roughly 42,000 hectares over about 10 days, was declared under control at the weekend, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu thanked firefighters, saying France had stood firm against an unprecedented crisis. The recovered munitions will be stored and destroyed at a military site.