Today, 1 August, most cantons have imposed a total ban on lighting fires and setting off firecrackers. The reason is the drought: the vegetation is so dry that a single spark could start a fire. Almost everyone realises that private fireworks are out of the question this year.
What’s causing the most of a stir is this: some local authorities have been granted special permission to hold official fireworks displays. Those on Lake Zurich are set off from boats on the lake, those on Lake Thun in Bern, and a few others here and there. The authorities that granted the exemptions say that those in charge know what they’re doing. In Basel, the GLP and other political groups were calling for these authorisations to be revoked, because the message to the public is confusing: you’re not allowed to, but the neighbouring council is.
The most interesting part comes when you look at the fines. If someone sets off illegal fireworks and the police catch them, the consequences vary drastically depending on the canton: in Basel-Stadt, the by-law stipulates a fine of 150 francs. In Bern, the forestry law provides for fines of up to 20,000 francs if the offence is deliberate. In Zurich, the police issue a report and the fine can range from 100 to several thousand francs. The Zurich cantonal police have admitted quite openly that they cannot be everywhere and that they are appealing to people’s sense of personal responsibility. In Switzerland, the same prohibited act, on the same day, can cost 150 or 20,000 francs. It all depends on which side of which cantonal border you are on.