Explosions heard as more than 400 WWII shells found in village at center of France’s wildfire crisis

Explosions were heard near the village in France’s Gironde region following the devastating fires, which swept through the country’s southwest. “A bomb disposal operation was carried out today with Civil Protection specialists, recovering more than 400 shells and munitions,” a statement from the local authority said Monday. “Here, for instance, you’ve got two mortar shells, a French mortar shell and some German 5 (centimeter) shells,” he said. Photos taken on Monday showed residents returning to the charred village and sifting through the remains of their burnt-out houses. A local resident told CNN last month that he lost his home and pets when the wildfire tore through Le Porge.