Fireworks Canceled in French Manche and Swiss Basel Due to Drought

Municipal authorities in France's Manche department cancelled two scheduled fireworks displays and postponed a third to 8 August, moving the launch site to a coastal area to reduce fire risk. The hippodrome of Graignes also scrapped its pyrotechnic show, citing a municipal order that restricts such events during periods of intense heat.

In the Vosges commune of Gérardmer, the town council announced the cancellation of the lake fireworks planned for 14 August, echoing a similar decision made in 2022. Swiss cantonal officials in Basel likewise called off the city’s fireworks for 31 July and the following weekend, invoking an absolute ban on pyrotechnics amid persistent drought and high temperatures.

All cancellations were attributed to exceptional dryness, heightened wildfire danger, and a desire to protect the public and support emergency services fighting forest fires across the region.