# Europe's wildfires detonate WWII-era bombs buried underground Climate change and abandoned military sites create a dangerous combination - **Source:** [Scientific American Content: Global](https://brifing.si/source/4f066134-e06d-4415-87ef-305e3dc2aba6) - **Published:** 2026-08-09 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/e576dcab-2fdc-4bb1-991f-4c0e019af5c2 ## Fires triggering historic threats Wildfires across Europe in 2025-2026 summers began detonating buried munitions from WWII and Cold War eras. In France's Gironde region, fires burning 42,000 hectares exposed 75 artillery shells near Le Porge village. In Germany's Müritz National Park, firefighters couldn't approach flames directly due to Cold War-era explosives contaminating the forest floor. ## Heat's impact on explosions Ordinance that normally remains stable underground detonates when exposed to prolonged high heat. At England's Langdale Moor fire, six weeks of burning peat soil triggered over 20 WWII shells. Experts explain temperatures exceeding 45°C destabilize explosive chemical compounds. Similar conditions caused six ammunition depots to spontaneously explode in Iraq during 2018-2019 summers. ## Legacy of historic battlefields Europe's northern forests and heathlands served as military training grounds throughout the 20th century. Even Germany's UNESCO sites were Soviet and East German training areas during Cold War. France's Zone Rouge remains officially uninhabitable 100+ years after 1918 armistice. Belgian and French farmers annually harvest WWI shells from fields, calling it 'iron harvest'. ## Climate change factor Days with extreme fire-prone conditions in Southern Europe doubled between 1981-2025. Consecutive heatwaves, low rainfall and depleted soil moisture fueled devastating 2026 fires in Spain and France. Climate models predict this trend will continue, extending fire seasons. Deep peat areas like North York Moors now ignite more easily, exposing buried munitions. ## Changing land management Rural depopulation leads to vegetation buildup in abandoned areas, creating fuel for extreme fires. While changing farming practices reduced wildfires in Africa, Europe experiences opposite trends. Despite global wildfire decline, frequency and intensity increase in Europe and North America. The intersection of military history and shifting land use creates novel risks. ## Challenges of clearance operations Germany's Munitionsbergungsdienst unit clears Cold War explosives region by region, but contamination scale prevents comprehensive cleanup. Southern France and rural Belgium continue yielding hundreds of historic munitions annually. Most local governments lack records of buried war remnants in their territories, complicating fire response planning. ## Post-fire dangers Fires not only cause detonations but also bring deeply buried mines and shells to surface. Like in France's Le Porge fire, exposed ordnance creates lingering hazards. Local mayor Martial Zaninetti admitted having no prior knowledge of munitions in the area. This poses additional risks for residents returning after fires. ## Future risk scenarios As climate change and land use transformations continue, interactions between wildfires and war remnants will intensify in Europe. Prolonged burning in deep peatlands may trigger more explosions. Fire management strategies need revision in nature reserves with military past. Experts recommend including historic battlefields in fire risk maps and specialized training for firefighters. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/europes-wildfires-are-igniting-forgotten-wwii-and-cold-war-bombs/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._