Dassault Aviation has halted work at its Mérignac site near Bordeaux after Gironde wildfires pushed protection measures into the heart of France’s aerospace-industrial belt. The company moved sensitive equipment from its Martignas-sur-Jalle plant and Cestas logistics centre to Mérignac and Air Base 106, while most employees at Mérignac and Martignas stayed home or remained evacuated. Mérignac handles final assembly and flight testing for Rafale fighters and Falcon business jets, making the stoppage an immediate production and AOG risk. The move was coordinated with the DGA and prefectural authorities as the fire threat spread across strategic defence sites.