Switzerland faces 'maximum danger' drought alert

Switzerland is grappling with a severe drought, with the Federal Office for the Environment (OFEV) issuing a "maximum danger" alert for most of the country. As of July 29, only some valleys in the Grisons region remain at a "strong danger" level for forest fires. Several areas, including Geneva, Valais, parts of the Alps, and the northern plateau, are experiencing "very strong danger," indicated by a dark red on the OFEV's fire danger map.

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a fire can break out at any moment

Officials in Geneva warn that fires can ignite at any moment and would be nearly impossible to extinguish. While some cantons maintain databases of high-risk forest fire areas, a comprehensive national overview is lacking. Daniela Mangiarratti, an information officer for natural hazards at OFEV, explained that cantonal environmental services must be consulted for specific risks and firefighting measures, as no federal recommendations currently exist for risk assessment.

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almost impossible to extinguish

The article highlights the urgency of the situation, with warnings of potential fires and the difficulty of controlling them. The lack of a unified national risk assessment strategy underscores the challenges in managing the widespread drought and its associated fire risks across different cantons.

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there is no country-wide overview