Massive wildfires sweeping through southwestern France are threatening key defense and nuclear sites near Bordeaux, forcing evacuations and emergency measures at missile factories, military research facilities, and aerospace plants.
Emergency Response
French Economy Minister Roland Lescure said the fires have disrupted more than 13,000 businesses in the Gironde region, with many forced to close or evacuate. At least seven sites holding hazardous substances are within 12 miles of the blaze.
Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, to the west-northwest, is one of the evacuated towns and is home to a large factory that produces propellants for Ariane space rockets and France’s strategic missiles. A nearby plant in Sainte-Hélène also produces ammonium perchlorate, a key oxidizer used in solid rocket propellants.
Impact on Local Communities
So far, the fires have scorched more than 104,000 acres in the Gironde region, making them among France’s largest wildfires on record. Authorities said about 240 homes have been destroyed, while nearly 4,000 holidaymakers have been evacuated from campsites, holiday villages, and tourist resorts in Lacanau, about 35 miles west of Bordeaux.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
