Sharp decline in Easter bonfires this year in Achterhoek region
NL TimesThere will be fewer Easter bonfires this year in the Achterhoek due to stricter rules. Easter bonfires, or “paosbaokes,” are a centuries-old tradition in the Achterhoek region of the eastern Netherlands. Aside from concerns over fire safety, another reason for the decrease in the bonfires is that people used them in the past to skirt rules about burning prunings, although the official end date for burning prunings is March 14. Lung disease organization Longfonds has also weighed in on the health impacts of the Easter bonfires: “Easter bonfires are a beautiful tradition, but if you have health problems, you don't like it that much.” Meanwhile, the RIVM calculated that the fires make up 10 percent of annual woodsmoke emissions in the Netherlands.
History of this topic
Discover Related
