rome —
Approximately 250 World War I-era rounds of ammunition have been removed from a rapidly receding glacier in Italy’s Dolomites.
Artillery shells, mortar shells and other ammunition were initially found in the Trentino-Alto Adige region by hikers, naturalists and, in one case, after a traffic accident, according to a statement from the Italian Army’s Giulia Alpine Brigade to CNN on Tuesday.
The military said the first unexploded ordnance discovered this summer was a 90mm mortar shell found in June when a driver forgot to apply the handbrake when parking and fell into a ravine near Caldonazzo.
When firefighters removed the vehicle, they noticed a shell dating back to World War I at the base of the tree. It was later removed by a special bomb disposal squad.
Other devices were used during the White War, fought between 1915 and 1918 between Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies, and are concentrated in areas popular with hikers during the summer months, which have been covered in snow and ice for more than 100 years.
Specialists from the Julia Alpine Brigade’s 2nd Engineer Regiment, which specializes in high-risk high-altitude rescue and military operations, began the cleanup in early August, a spokesperson for the unit told CNN on Tuesday. Summer reclamation activities ended on October 16th.
The ordinance was found on trails frequented by climbers, hikers and mountain workers, and in areas inaccessible to the general public.
The military said the ammunition removal operation required “solid mountaineering skills” to navigate “inaccessible areas, high ground and particularly difficult terrain.”
In the area between the Cima del Frate summit and the Forcella Fierolo pass near the village of Vieno, a buildup of 75-millimeter shells caused the closure of a popular climbing route during the clearing earlier this month. The route was then resumed.
Munitions from both World War I and World War II are revealed annually, but specialized work can only be carried out in late summer and early fall, when weather conditions allow for safer operations before snow begins to fall in late October, the military said.
Heatwaves in recent years have caused the Calle Alto and Lares glaciers to retreat rapidly, making the area unstable for workers.
A safety campaign is being run to warn hikers and local mountain residents not to touch or move suspicious ammunition if they come across it. Instead, they should be reported to local authorities, ideally with a photo attached.
According to local authorities, low snowfall in the winter of 2025 and extreme temperatures in the summer of 2026 accelerated the melting of glaciers in the Trentino region.
