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Martial Zaninetti reports residents returning to Le Porge village after 400 World War II shells were revealed by forest fires

Residents of the French village of Le Porge have returned to their homes following the discovery of over 400 World War II shells and munitions. The forest fire, which burned more than 99,000 acres in the Gironde region, revealed the buried explosives through heat, causing numerous blasts that were initially mistaken for exploding gas cylinders. Martial Zaninetti, the mayor of Le Porge, noted that the village was unaware of the buried ammunition depots until the fire detonated them. The munitions, a mix of French and German mortar shells and anti-tank rounds, required a demining operation to ensure safety. While most of the village was reopened to residents on Monday, certain areas remained off-limits due to the blast radius of the shells. The fire, which was one of the largest in France since 1949, destroyed more than 180 houses. The administration has recognized the fire as a large-scale disaster, allowing for faster salvage cutting of timber and the start of the recovery process for residents.

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