On Monday 27 July, the Valais State Council issued an order that surely no one was expecting: an immediate ban on the sale of all fireworks in shops across the canton. This applies not only to large fireworks, which already required a licence to use, but also to volcanoes, firecrackers and any other such items that, until yesterday, could be bought without any formalities.
The previous situation was rather contradictory, and the government itself acknowledges this in its statement: since 25 June, it had already been forbidden to light fires outdoors in Valais due to the risk of fire. Yet shops were still able to sell fireworks without any legal issues. The Conseil d’Etat states that this “was likely to cause confusion amongst the public”. An elegant way of saying that people were buying things they could not use and were not always aware of this.
With 1 August just four days away, the drought in Valais is severe and the fire risk is classified as extremely critical. Several municipalities had already cancelled their fireworks displays for the national holiday. But the ban on sales goes a step further: it is no longer just that you cannot use them, but that you can no longer buy them in the canton. The items must be removed from the shelves. The government also reminds the public that any outbreak of fire or suspicious smoke must be reported to 118.
If you’re planning to celebrate 1 August with some fireworks, check with your local council first. Restrictions vary by canton, but the situation this year is tense throughout the Alpine region of the country.