Explosions were heard near the French village of Le Porge as residents returned to their homes after last month’s devastating wildfires. The blasts were caused by the discovery of over 400 World War II shells and munitions in the area.

Discovery and Evacuation

A bomb disposal operation was carried out, recovering the shells and munitions. The majority of the village’s 3,500 residents were forced to flee their homes as hundreds of firefighters battled the blazes.

Temperatures in Central and Eastern Europe are expected to be 10 to 15 degrees Celsius above normal, with wildfires continuing to spread in Greece and Italy. In Hungary, the country’s sole nuclear power station was at risk of shutting down due to low water levels in the Danube River.

Climate Change and Wildfires

Scientists agree that climate change is making wildfires increasingly extreme. The fires in France have burned over 160,000 hectares, making them the largest on record for the country.

Upon returning to the scorched community, officials made a startling discovery. Despite World War II ending over 80 years ago, unexploded munitions are still littered throughout the continent and frequently discovered or unearthed decades later.

Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.