A large-scale forest fire near Bordeaux in southwestern France has exposed a dangerous cache of World War II munitions in the village of Le Porge. Following several days of emergency demining operations, local residents were finally permitted to return to their homes on Monday. Authorities report that approximately 400 pieces of ammunition, including both German and French mortar shells and high-explosive anti-tank rounds, have been recovered from the area where the fire destroyed more than 180 homes.
During the height of the blaze, residents and officials heard frequent explosions that were initially mistaken for burning gas cylinders. Fire commander Thomas Mimiague noted that these blasts were likely caused by the heat-triggered detonation of the buried munitions. According to BBC News, more than 100 explosions occurred on the second night of the fire. Mayor Martial Zaninetti described the volatile situation to the news outlet France Info as sounding like "the sound of war." The mayor further stated that the municipality was previously unaware of the buried ammunition depots, noting that the force of the blasts was so severe that one shell even penetrated a house.
Fire commander Mimiague stated that the origin of the munitions remains unclear, though officials suspect they were simply abandoned at the site. This incident follows a series of fires across France throughout the summer, particularly in the Bordeaux region. The most severe blaze since 1949, which consumed over 99,000 acres in approximately 10 days, has now been brought under control without reaching the region's major wine estates.
The discovery of dormant wartime explosives is not unprecedented in France. In 2025, an unexploded World War II bomb near Paris forced the suspension of train services near the Gare du Nord station. Additionally, in 2012, authorities evacuated approximately 1,000 people in Marseille to safely remove a 1-ton German bomb dating back to the war.
