Wildfire near Bourges threatens KNDS armament plant; risk of explosion averted after 60-hectare blaze
A wildfire that spread across 60 hectares of resinous woodland reached the KNDS armament factory in La Chapelle Saint-Ursin, prompting evacuations and a confinement order before authorities declared the danger to munitions storage had passed.
The fire
On Wednesday afternoon, a wildfire ignited in the commune of Morthomiers, near Bourges in the Cher department. The blaze quickly spread through 60 hectares of resinous woodland and reached the KNDS industrial site in La Chapelle Saint-Ursin, a facility classified as Seveso high threshold due to the presence of explosive materials.
Evacuation and response
Authorities evacuated about 100 residents from the homes closest to the KNDS site and ordered them to shelter at the town hall. The prefecture issued a confinement order for the wider area and closed all access roads to the site, warning of a "risk of explosion and fire". The communal safeguard plan and the departmental operational centre were activated.
The fire is not completely fixed on the right front flank, but the left flank, which was a real danger for the site where the munitions are, is fixed.
Risk averted
By Wednesday evening, the prefecture announced that the left flank of the fire had been brought under control, eliminating the immediate threat to the munitions storage areas. The confinement order for Morthomiers residents was lifted, though the right flank was not yet fully contained. The prefect of Cher had mobilised all available resources to fight the blaze.
- Fire breaks out in Morthomiers at 15:45
- Fire spreads across 60 hectares of resinous woodland
- Fire reaches KNDS armament site, risk of explosion declared
- About 100 residents evacuated, confinement order issued
- Left flank fixed; danger to munitions storage averted
- Confinement lifted for Morthomiers residents
KNDS profile
KNDS is a pan-European land defence group formed by the merger of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter. It employs over 11,000 people, reported revenue of €4.4 billion in 2025, and holds an order book of €13.5 billion. The La Chapelle Saint-Ursin site is one of its key production facilities.
