The “recommendation” of the prefect of Bas-Rhin will have consequences on the festivities of the national holiday: the mayors are encouraged to cancel the pyrotechnic shows, because of the risk of forest fires. In the Haut-Rhin, a decree prohibits fireworks until July 10. The situation could change.
The mail arrived in the mailboxes of the mayors of Bas-Rhin on Tuesday evening July 4th. A letter signed by the prefect and which recommends canceling the pyrotechnic shows to prevent forest fires in a context of drought. Not an injunction, but a strong incentive.
“I would have preferred an outright ban by prefectural decree”, comments the mayor of Saales Romain Mangenet. “With this letter, we have obviously taken the decision to cancel everything. But it is a false choice. I fully understand that the situation is tense, and reason must prevail. Except that the State is disengaging and carrying the responsibility for a possible accident on the mayors, once again!”
It must be said that the letter ends with a sentence which somewhat tensed the elected official: “The Bas-Rhin fire and rescue service will no longer be able to position firefighting means near fireworks that would be maintained”.
What decision to make in such conditions? The mayor of Wische, for his part, believes that there is nothing to change the situation. “Yes, I read the letter, but as our fire will be fired more than 200 meters from the forest, we are within the rules. And then, we take all the precautions”, assures Alain Ferry. “I have my fire brigade, they have always been able to cope, they are the ones who set off the fireworks. We are still going to discuss it, but I think it is important to keep a sense of party for a harmonious social life, especially at this time.”
Faced with a prefect who manually signs her mail with “I know I can count on you”, the mayors find themselves faced with a difficult decision to take. The calendar of festivities should evolve in the coming days according to the choices of the different municipalities.
In Saales, the mayor hopes to maintain the popular ball despite everything and plans to postpone the fireworks to a more appropriate time in the year. Similar scenario in Obernai where the shooting is postponed. On the other hand, all the events organized by the firefighters are maintained, including the torchlight procession.
The City of Strasbourg announced on the evening of July 5, “to take note of the prefectural recommendation” and decided to cancel the fireworks planned place de l’Etoile. “The National Day, a moment of cohesion and national unity, will be celebrated in Strasbourg”, specifies the municipality, without giving more details for the moment as to the events organized.
In the Haut-Rhin, the decree prohibiting fireworks is applicable until July 10, 2023. State services indicate that they are examining, in conjunction with those involved in the prevention of forest fires, the possibility of publish a less restrictive version. This would allow the demonstrations planned for July 8 and 9 to be held under certain conditions.
For the record, last year, the Ribeauvillé fireworks in the Haut-Rhin caused a dozen fires to start in the vineyards due to the drought.