Ahead of Switzerland’s national day on August 1st, fireworks have generally been banned due to the risk of forest fires, although official displays are still permitted in some places, reports SRF.
With Switzerland parched by drought, almost every canton has imposed restrictions on open fires and fireworks. Yet some authorities are allowing large official displays to go ahead. Critics say the exemptions undermine the bans.
The rules vary by canton, but private fireworks are prohibited across most of the country. In French-speaking Switzerland, Geneva, Valais and Vaud have gone further by banning the sale of pyrotechnics, including small firecrackers and “volcano” fountains.
The risk of forest fires is at its highest level in Geneva and much of Valais, and remains high elsewhere in the region. Recent thunderstorms have failed to sufficiently soak the soil or vegetation. Cantonal authorities have therefore tightened restrictions and urged the public to exercise caution.
Some official events, however, have been granted exemptions. In the canton of Bern, two displays on Lake Thun may proceed. Several municipalities around Lake Zurich have also received permission to launch fireworks from boats, reported SRF. Oberägeri, in the canton of Zug, has received permission to launch fireworks from the lake.
Rules differ in western Switzerland. Official displays in Geneva, Valais, Fribourg, Neuchâtel and Vaud may generally take place only over lakes. Jura has no display planned. In Fribourg the restrictions also cover processions and the release of lanterns, reported RTS.
Basel has taken a stricter line. On July 30th the city cancelled its two official displays, citing the drought. The cantonal government said it was “of the utmost importance” that a total ban on fires and fireworks be observed. Cancelling the displays on the Rhine and at Bruderholz, it added, would reinforce that message. Basel’s traditional celebration on July 31st will nevertheless go ahead. A lantern procession involving several hundred children will use electric lights.
Political opposition to the exemptions has been strong. The Green Liberal Party has called the exemptions incomprehensible and urged cantonal governments to revoke them. Politicians from other parties have joined the criticism. A Socialist Party member argued that cantonal governments should set an example, particularly given that bans on private fireworks would already be difficult to enforce.
The Zurich cantonal police acknowledge that enforcement poses a challenge. Each case will be assessed individually, the police say, and any response will be proportionate, said a spokesperson. They are also appealing to the public to act responsibly.
Penalties vary significantly. In Zurich and Bern, police generally file a report rather than issue an immediate fine. Bern’s forestry law provides for fines of up to CHF 20,000 for deliberate breaches. In Zurich, according to the Tages-Anzeiger, penalties range from at least CHF 100 to several thousand francs. Basel-Stadt is more lenient. Its ordinance provides for a fine of CHF 150, though fireworks may also be confiscated.
Valais has defended its decision to prohibit sales as well as use. Stéphane Ganzer, the cantonal minister responsible for security, said tourists arriving from areas with lower fire-risk levels might otherwise be tempted to buy fireworks for their children. We prefer to remove the temptation and put safety first, he told SRF.
Switzerland’s national-day celebrations will therefore proceed largely without fireworks or bonfires. But where official displays remain, the authorities will have to persuade the public that exceptions made for official displays does not weaken a private prohibition.
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