Hundreds of World War I munitions exposed by melting ice removed from Dolomites

Some 250 World War I-era munitions that emerged from rapidly retreating glaciers in the Italian Dolomites have been removed.

Artillery shells, mortar bombs and other ammunition had initially been found in the Trentino-Alto Adige region by hikers, naturalists and, in one case, after a road accident, according to a statement sent to CNN Tuesday by the Italian army’s Julia Alpine brigade.

The first unexploded ordinance found this summer was a 90-millimeter mortar shell discovered in June after a car rolled down a ravine near Caldonazzo after the driver forgot to engage the hand brake when parking the vehicle, the army said.

When firefighters removed the vehicle, they noticed the shell dating back to World War I at the foot of a tree. It was later removed by a specialized bomb squad.

The other devices, which were from the White War fought between Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies between 1915 and 1918, were concentrated in an area popular with hikers during the summer and had been covered in snow and ice for more than 100 years.

Specialists from the 2nd Engineer Regiment of the Julia Alpine brigade, who specialize in high-risk high-altitude rescue and military operations, began the clean-up in early August, a spokesperson from the unit told CNN Tuesday. The summer reclamation campaign ended on October 16.

The ordinances were found on trails frequently traversed by climbers, hikers and mountain workers, as well as areas inaccessible to the public.

The army said the campaign to clear the munitions required “solid mountaineering skills” to navigate “inaccessible areas, at high altitudes, and on particularly challenging terrain.”

In the area between the Cima del Frate mountain peak and Forcella Fierollo mountain pass near the hamlet Bieno, a cache of 75-millimeter artillery shells caused the closure of a popular mountaineering route during the removal earlier this month. The route was later reopened.

Munitions from both World War I and II are revealed each year, but specialized work can only take place in the late summer and early fall when weather conditions allow for safer operations before snow begins in late October, the army said.

The extreme heat over the last few years has led to the fast retreat of the Caré Alto and the Lares glaciers, which make the area less stable for workers.

A safety campaign is underway to warn hikers and local mountain dwellers not to touch or move suspicious munitions if found. Instead, they should be reported to local authorities, ideally with accompanying photos.

Low winter snowfall in 2025 and extreme temperatures in the summer of 2026 have accelerated the melting of the glaciers in the Trentino region, according to local authorities.

从意大利多洛米蒂山脉快速消退的冰川中发现的约 250 件第一次世界大战时期的弹药已被清除。

据意大利陆军朱利亚高山旅周二发给 CNN 的一份声明称，特伦蒂诺-上阿迪杰地区最初是由徒步旅行者、自然学家发现的炮弹、迫击炮弹和其他弹药，其中一起案件中，这些弹药是在交通事故后发现的。

军方表示，今年夏天发现的第一枚未爆弹药是一枚 90 毫米迫击炮弹，这枚炮弹是在 6 月份发现的，当时一辆汽车在卡尔多纳佐附近翻下山沟，原因是司机停车时忘记拉手刹。

消防员移走车辆时，在一棵树下发现了一枚可以追溯到第一次世界大战的炮弹。随后，专业拆弹小组将其移除。

其他的武器装备来自 1915 年至 1918 年意大利和奥匈帝国军队之间的白色战争，它们集中在夏季徒步旅行者常去的地区，并且已被冰雪覆盖了 100 多年。

据该部队发言人周二告诉CNN，隶属于朱莉娅高山旅第二工兵团的专家们，专门从事高风险高海拔救援和军事行动，于8月初开始清理工作。夏季清理行动于10月16日结束。

这些法令是在登山者、徒步旅行者和山地工人经常经过的小径上，以及公众无法进入的地区发现的。

军方表示，清除弹药的行动需要“扎实的登山技能”，才能在“难以进入的地区、高海拔地区和特别崎岖的地形”中行进。

本月初，在弗拉特峰（Cima del Frate）和菲耶罗洛山口（Forcella Fierollo）之间的比耶诺村（Bieno）附近，一批75毫米炮弹的遗留物导致一条热门登山路线在清理过程中被迫关闭。该路线随后重新开放。

陆军表示，每年都会发现第一次世界大战和第二次世界大战遗留的军需品，但只有在夏末秋初天气条件允许更安全地进行作业时，才能进行专门的修复工作，因为10月下旬就会开始下雪。

近几年的极端高温导致卡雷阿尔托冰川和拉雷斯冰川快速消退，使得该地区对工人而言稳定性降低。

一项安全宣传活动正在进行中，旨在提醒徒步旅行者和当地山区居民，如果发现可疑弹药，切勿触摸或移动。相反，应将其报告给当地政府部门，最好附上照片。

据当地政府称，2025 年冬季降雪量偏低以及 2026 年夏季极端高温加速了特伦蒂诺地区冰川的融化。