Melting Dolomites ice exposes hundreds of World War I munitions as Italian Army hunts for them

Summary

Low snowfall and record-breaking summer heat have melted ice in the Italian Dolomites, exposing hundreds of unexploded World War I munitions. The Italian Army is searching for the shells and bombs, and one expert warns that once they re-emerge they are very dangerous. The region was the site of the fighting known as the White War.

Timeline

1. Smithsonian Magazine

   2 Nov 2026, 13:00 UTCSource ↗

   Smithsonian Magazine reports that low snowfall and record-breaking summer heat have melted ice in the Italian Dolomites, exposing hundreds of World War I munitions, and that the Italian Army is hunting for the unexploded shells and bombs.