Forest fires reach defense plants in France
Forest fires that have engulfed the Bordeaux area in southwestern France have approached the facilities of the largest enterprises of the French military-industrial complex.
As BFMTV reports, four facilities of the aerospace company ArianeGroup are located in the immediate vicinity of the fire zone. Two of them are in the commune of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, whose residents have been evacuated. These enterprises produce solid fuel for M51 ballistic missiles. Another facility of the company produces engines for the European Ariane 6 launch vehicle.
In the same area is the enterprise Roxel France — a subsidiary of the European missile weapons manufacturer MBDA, specializing in the production of rocket engines. In addition, production sites of Dassault Aviation, Safran and Thales — leading companies of the French defense-industrial complex — are located here.
France continues to fight large-scale forest fires, the spread of which is facilitated by abnormal heat. According to the latest data, about 220 thousand people have been evacuated from dangerous areas. French President Emmanuel Macron previously stated that this summer has become the most difficult for the country in terms of natural fires since the end of World War II.
