Open fires banned in Danish city Aalborg due to wildfire risk
Northern Danish city Aalborg has banned open air fires including barbecues in all municipal areas, with a national decision about Sankt Hans bonfires expected next week.
The risk of wildfires in Aalborg is very high due to drought, local emergency services said on Friday as a ban on open fires such as barbecues was banned by the local municipality.
The ban, confirmed by Aalborg Municipality in a statement, takes immediate effect. It was made on the advice of the regional fire service, Nordjyllands Beredskab.
Residents in the area can therefore brace themselves for the likely cancellation of the traditional Sankt Hans bonfires on June 23rd.
READ ALSO: Denmark likely to ban Sankt Hans bonfires due to dry weather
“Monday will see a final decision on the situation with regard to Sankt Hans bonfires but as things look now, it is expected that they will not go ahead,” the municipality said in the statement.
The national Danish Emergency Management Agency (Beredsskabstyrelsen, DEMA) is scheduled to meet on Monday. Sankt Hans celebrations will be high on the agenda, broadcaster DR reports.
READ ALSO: Why does Denmark celebrate Sankt Hans Aften?
Despite some rain forecasts for this weekend, it is broadly expected that Sankt Hans bonfires will be cancelled in most of the country.
Sankt Hans Aften, when people sing in chorus before lighting a giant bonfire and eating and drinking late into the light summer night, is normally one of the highlights of the Danish calendar.
In addition to bonfires, Danes gather to sing in chorus on June 23rd, with Midsommervisen (“Midsummer’s Song”), also called Vi elsker vort land (“We Love our Country”) the traditional song for the occasion.
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The risk of wildfires in Aalborg is very high due to drought, local emergency services said on Friday as a ban on open fires such as barbecues was banned by the local municipality.
The ban, confirmed by Aalborg Municipality in a statement, takes immediate effect. It was made on the advice of the regional fire service, Nordjyllands Beredskab.
Residents in the area can therefore brace themselves for the likely cancellation of the traditional Sankt Hans bonfires on June 23rd.
READ ALSO: Denmark likely to ban Sankt Hans bonfires due to dry weather
“Monday will see a final decision on the situation with regard to Sankt Hans bonfires but as things look now, it is expected that they will not go ahead,” the municipality said in the statement.
The national Danish Emergency Management Agency (Beredsskabstyrelsen, DEMA) is scheduled to meet on Monday. Sankt Hans celebrations will be high on the agenda, broadcaster DR reports.
READ ALSO: Why does Denmark celebrate Sankt Hans Aften?
Despite some rain forecasts for this weekend, it is broadly expected that Sankt Hans bonfires will be cancelled in most of the country.
Sankt Hans Aften, when people sing in chorus before lighting a giant bonfire and eating and drinking late into the light summer night, is normally one of the highlights of the Danish calendar.
In addition to bonfires, Danes gather to sing in chorus on June 23rd, with Midsommervisen (“Midsummer’s Song”), also called Vi elsker vort land (“We Love our Country”) the traditional song for the occasion.
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