Several mayors are disappointed of not continuing the Easter fires. “It is a great pity for the organizers and interested people who were already busy preparing for the traditional Easter fire,” says Mayor Anno Wietze Hiemstra of Aa and Hunze. “Unfortunately, the weather throws a spanner in the works. This is force majeure, huge bales, but of course safety is paramount.”
Mayor Klaas Smid van Noordenveld adds: “After consultation with the other Northern Drenthe municipalities, we opt for fire safety. That is not an easy decision, because we know how much the Easter fires mean for our residents and villages. But with the advice of the safety region and the increased risk of natural fire, we cannot find it justified this year.”
“We understand that this is a big disappointment for many people,” says Mayor Bart Zwiers van Midden-Drenthe. “The Easter fires are a great tradition, where villages and volunteers work with a lot of commitment every year. We would also have liked to see it differently.”
Renze Bergsma, mayor of Coevorden: “This is a huge damper. Easter fires are a dear tradition for many people, and we sympathize with all the organizers who were already busy preparing.”
The organizers of the Easter fires have been informed by the municipalities.