Wildfires in southern France have exposed a cache of 400 historic shells and munitions in the village of Le Porge, according to local authorities. The discovery came after blasts during the fires, initially thought to be exploding gas cylinders, were suspected to be WWII explosives detonated by the heat.

More than 100 explosions were heard on the second night of the fire, Mayor Martial Zaninetti told French news outlet France Info, likening it to "the sound of war." He described the munitions as "ammunition depots buried in land within our municipality, but we didn't know it, and they exploded," adding that shells flew "to the right, to the left, and even one went through a house."

Demining operations have allowed most residents to return home, but the mayor stated that certain areas remain off-limits. Over 180 houses in the area were destroyed by the wildfire. Access to the ocean, a campsite, and the village of La Jenny is still prohibited, as announced on Instagram.

The historic weapons, both German and French, included mortar shells and anti-tank shells, as reported by French media. The discovery follows a forest fire that ravaged the Gironde area, which has now been brought under control after burning for about 10 days.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu thanked firefighters for their efforts, saying "France has stood firm in the face of an unprecedented crisis." He highlighted that the battle against the fires had entered a "new phase" in the Gironde region, with evacuated individuals gradually returning to their homes.

Wildfires have raged across Europe over the past two weeks, primarily in France and Spain, where more than 330,000 people were evacuated. France was one of the worst affected, with 42,000 hectares burnt in the south-west, making it one of the largest forest fires since World War Two.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk