BLAST FROM THE PAST

Wildfires Trigger Buried WWII Explosives in Terrifying Inferno

More than 100 loud explosions were heard in a French village consumed by a blaze.

Devastating wildfires that have torn through the South of France have been exacerbated by exploding undiscovered World War II munitions. More than 100 loud explosions were heard around the village of Le Porge as a massive blaze ripped through the area following multiple heatwaves in France. Local authorities now believe that the fires may have spread further after the heat ignited munitions such as mortar shells and anti-tank shells that had been in the ground for decades. Le Porge Mayor Martial Zaninetti described the explosions heard on the second night of the wildfires as “the sound of war.” Speaking to local media, Zaninetti added: “There were ammunition depots buried in the land within our municipality, but we didn’t know it, and they exploded.” The shells are believed to be of both French and German origin. More than 180 houses in the area were destroyed by the wildfire, with some areas still closed off. The wildfire that engulfed Le Porg has burned through more than 104,000 acres since it broke out last week. Hundreds of thousands of people across France and Spain have also been evicted from their homes.