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SWISS NATIONAL DAY

Where in Switzerland are fireworks banned on Swiss National Day?

Swiss National Day this Tuesday will look a little different because of fireworks bans in many locations, but traditional displays will go ahead in some areas.

Published: 31 July 2022 12:32 CEST
Updated: 28 July 2023 13:24 CEST
Where in Switzerland are fireworks banned on Swiss National Day?
Swiss National Day this Monday will look a little different because of fireworks bans in many locations. Photo by Yiran Yang on Unsplash

Due to high temperatures and persisting drought, a number of cantons and municipalities have banned the traditional fireworks on their territory, extending the ban to open fires as well.

Certain Zurich municipalities have prohibited this practice as well, while further cantons earlier indicated they may also prohibit fireworks should they be unsafe. 

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Of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, some have issued total bans on open-air fires, some have issued bans covering parts of the canton, some are only permitting fires at Feuerstelle (campfire-style open-air fire pits), and some have only banned fires in forest areas.

Further below, you can see a list of locations where public fireworks displays are expected to go ahead as things stand.

Total bans

Vaud

Ban in parts of canton (municipalities)

Numerous Graubünden municipalities have banned fireworks on August 1st for the sake of nature and domestic and wild animals, including the following: Albula/Alvra, Bergün Filisur, Bever, Breil/Brigels, Celerina, Grüsch, Davos, Ilanz/Glion, Laax, La Punt Chamues-ch, Lantsch/Lenz, Lumnezia, Luzein, Madulain, Pontresina, Rhäzüns, S-chanf, Schiers, Scuol, Sils i. E./Segl, St. Moritz, Surses, Trun, Tujetsch, Val Müstair, and Vaz/Obervaz.

According to ZüriToday, Höri and Niederglatt will also have to do without fireworks on this year’s National Day due to the heavy air traffic at Zurich Airport. Meanwhile, Geroldswil will not host an official open fire due to the hot weather but is yet to decide on a fireworks ban.

Conditional fire ban

In the cantons of Geneva and Vaud, there is a conditional fire ban in and near the forest. Danger level 2 applies in the canton of Fribourg, which means that fireworks are not permitted.

Practice care when lighting fires in and near forests

The following cantons urge everyone to practice care when lighting fires in and near forests: Basel-City, Basel-Country, Bern, Glarus, Lucerne, Neuchâtel , St. Gallen, Thurgau, Zurich, Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Jura, and Schaffhausen.

Fireworks permitted

At the current time, the following locations are still planning to go ahead with public fireworks displays, according to media Watson.

Appenzell Innerrhoden, Graubünden, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Uri, and Zug.

You can also monitor the current risk situation online. Most cantons keep this information up to date.

Undecided (as of Friday)

While some Zurich municipalities will not feature fireworks at this year’s August 1st celebrations, Zurich is yet to decide whether to ban fireworks on a cantonal level for this year.

Lucerne and Solothurn are also yet to decide on a cantonal ban.

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For members

SWISS NATIONAL DAY

EXPLAINED: The rules around fireworks in Switzerland

Setting off small fireworks in gardens is a big part of Swiss culture on at least two special occasions each year. But what are the rules around pyrotechnics?

Published: 29 November 2022 15:35 CET
Updated: 19 July 2023 11:03 CEST
EXPLAINED: The rules around fireworks in Switzerland

When do the Swiss use fireworks?

For many Swiss people, setting off rockets and firecrackers are as much a part of the Swiss National Day on August 1st as Cervelat sausage and singing the national anthem. 

At-home fireworks are also a big deal on December 31st to bring in the new year. 

Almost 2,000 tonnes of fireworks are reportedly sold in Switzerland every year. 

Can I buy and set off fireworks at any time?

No. Most municipalities only allow the use of fireworks on the national holiday and New Year’s Eve. At other times, only people who have a permit can set them off.

Swiss cantons can also restrict the sale of fireworks to certain events and attach further conditions. If a canton or the commune restricts trade, the commune can only do so in compliance with the principle of proportionality: This means that there must be an overriding public interest in the restriction of fireworks. 

In the case of fireworks bans, it could be argued that public interest lies in protecting people, animals and the environment from harmful effects such as noise.

As the Federal Supreme Court points out, “noise emissions from fireworks and firecrackers can significantly disturb people’s well-being”.

But fireworks on certain occasions are a tradition where protection can also be in the public interest.

“For many people, fireworks are part of August 1st and New Year’s Eve,” says the court. “They enjoy setting off fireworks themselves to express their festive mood or their anticipation of the New Year, or watch fireworks set off by others in the night sky.”

In the summer of 2022, a number of cantons and municipalities banned the traditional firework displays on their territory, extending the ban to open fires as well due to high temperatures and persisting drought.

Private fireworks displays were also not allowed in many parts of the country on August 1st last year because of the heatwave. 

It’s not clear at the moment if there will be similar restrictions this year. 

Are there any plans to restrict fireworks?

As we mentioned, many municipalities only allow fireworks to be sold in the run up to August 1st, on New Year’s Eve and sometimes on other local occasions. 

But there have been pushes to ban the private use of fireworks. 

A proposal launched by anti-noise and dog advocacy groups said that private fireworks – like firecrackers and rockets – scare children and animals, and should be restricted. 

The groups have been collecting signatures to put pressure on authorities to further restrict the sale and use of fireworks. 

Up to July 17th, 90,000 signatures had been collected. 

But there’s pushback. Fireworks during these national celebrations are “part of the tradition and culture” of Switzerland, Daniel Bussmann, managing director of Bugano AG, a fireworks producer in Neudorf, Lucerne, said last year.

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