WWII grenades explode in French village as wildfires hit Le Porge

World War II-era grenades exploded in the French village of Le Porge due to forest fires, prompting bomb disposal experts to respond on Monday and recover over 400 grenades and ammunition. The explosives detonated from the heat of the wildfires that ravaged France last month, forcing evacuations. Authorities found 75 grenades first, then secured the area as shrapnel risk extended hundreds of meters, with both French and German ordnance recovered. Most of Le Porge's 3,500 residents had fled as the fire approached. The buried decades-old finds complicated safety assessments, though some residents returned to certain neighborhoods Monday after clearance, with officials noting such discoveries are rare but widespread.