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, according to reports.The escalating blazes come as France braces for its fourth major heat wave of the year Tuesday, with soaring temperatures and arid conditions increasing pressure on crews battling massive wildfires near Bordeaux, according to Reuters.Temperatures in the French region were forecast to reach 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius), about 13 degrees (7 degrees Celsius) above normal, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor.EUROPE'S FIRES REVEAL DEADLY MIX OF RECORD HEAT, HUMAN ERROR, ARSON AND LAND MISMANAGEMENTWildfires sweeping through southwestern France are threatening some of the country's most sensitive defense and nuclear facilities.(JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP via Getty)"The situation we are dealing with today is the most severe we have ever recorded, the toughest since the Second World War," President Emmanuel Macron, who flew to the area, had said Sunday.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.According to The Telegraph, the fires are closing in on missile and rocket factories that store explosive materials.At least seven sites holding hazardous substances are within 12 miles of the blaze.FRANCE RECORDS MORE THAN 5,700 EXCESS DEATHS DURING HISTORIC EARLY SUMMER HEAT WAVEFrance's Defense Ministry also said 1,500 military personnel have been deployed since July 25 to support firefighting operations and help secure strategic industrial sites.
((AP Photo/Baz Ratner, Pool))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 pro...