Key facts
- Wildfires in Europe are uncovering and detonating unexploded ordnance from WWI and WWII.
Wildfires fueled by climate change are uncovering and detonating unexploded bombs and mines from World War I and II across Europe. The fires, supercharged by heavy rains and subsequent drought, are burning over old battlefields, igniting munitions and revealing them to emergency crews.
The combination of climate change-fueled wildfires and historical ordnance presents a dual threat, reactivating dormant dangers from past wars and complicating firefighting efforts across Europe. This situation highlights the long-term, unpredictable consequences of conflict and environmental shifts.
Wildfires raging across Europe this summer have unearthed a dangerous legacy of past conflicts: unexploded bombs and mines from World War I and II. The intense heat from the fires can detonate these buried munitions, posing a significant threat to emergency responders and communities.
Explosions have been reported in several countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. In Belgium's High Fens region, a forest known to be a World War II battlefield, "a few sporadic detonations" were heard, prompting emergency services to adapt their response strategies. Local historians note that these areas were heavily mined and booby-trapped during the war, and the "iron harvest" of turning up war remnants is a common occurrence for farmers in regions like Ypres.
Climate change is identified as a key factor exacerbating this risk. Warmer temperatures and drought conditions, supercharged by heavy rainfall earlier in the year that spurred vegetation growth, create an ideal environment for fires. These fires not only ignite old munitions but also burn away the vegetation that previously concealed them. "Climate change is now doing the work of unburying and reactivating what was previously stable," said Sarah Njeri, a peace and conflict scholar. The fires are burning over territories like Elsenborn Ridge and the Hurtgen Forest, sites of intense fighting during WWII.
Beyond wildfires, drought has also played a role in revealing submerged ordnance. In Slovakia, the receding Danube River exposed two naval mines, while in Hungary, a World War II bomb emerged at the base of Budapest's Margaret Bridge. German authorities also found a WWII-era bomb as the Rhine River dried up. Researchers note that this phenomenon is a stark reminder of the "legacy of war" that continues to surface due to changing environmental conditions.