As of: February 26, 2024, 6:00 p.m
By: Veronika Macht
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Nice to look at, but not allowed in the municipality of Forstern: The local council has decided not to grant any special permits for private fireworks displays.
The community could impose requirements. Firecrackers distribute information leaflets © Vroni Macht
The local council has spoken out against exemptions for weddings, birthdays, etc.
Forstern – It looks nice, but makes a lot of noise and pollutes the air: fireworks.
Rockets are fired less and less at major events such as folk festivals.
But in their private lives, not everyone wants to miss out on the fireworks: fireworks are particularly popular for big birthdays or weddings - including in the community of Forstern.
They have now decided not to issue any special permits for private fireworks displays.
Rainer Streu (AWG) reported to the local council that the citizens' office had hardly had to process any applications for such a permit in recent years.
And if so, it was not granted.
But now in the past few weeks there have been several inquiries about fireworks in the town hall.
The administrative staff therefore asked that the local council make an official decision on how this will be dealt with in the future.
This is primarily about fireworks in the F2 category - the classic New Year's Eve fireworks.
Only at the turn of the year are private individuals over the age of 18 allowed to set off these so-called small fireworks - for example firecrackers, frogs, small firecrackers, rockets, volcanoes and battery fireworks.
In this case it does not require approval.
However, outside of New Year's Eve - from January 2nd to December 30th - private F2 fireworks are only permitted with a special permit from the responsible municipality.
The situation is different again with fireworks in categories F3 (medium fireworks) and F4 (large fireworks), which may only be lit with the appropriate permit or qualification certificate - for example at events such as folk festivals.
An exemption from the government of Upper Bavaria is required for this.
If this is granted, it goes back to the respective municipality.
This can then, for example, impose a requirement that the fire brigade must be called in, “for example if it is very dry or the fireworks display is to take place in a densely built-up area,” explained Streu.
He also reported that manager Katja Neubert had asked the other municipalities in the district how they were dealing with the matter.
She received nine responses, and only one of them still grants such exemptions, the rest do not.
The municipality of Forstern also wants to proceed in the same way in the future.
The decision to do so was unanimous.
Thorsten Scharmatinat (Greens) welcomed this decision: “We have a dog that goes crazy on New Year’s Eve.
What this does to the animals is just not good,” he said.
Erwin Nominacher (SPD) cited the “unnecessary fine dust pollution” caused by fireworks.
And Streu also warned of possible liability if the municipality grants such exemptions.
The mayor emphasized that he was behind the rejection: “You can do it once a year, it doesn’t have to be more often.”
The gunners are also loud, for example when they wake up wedding guests with their shots.
Sebastian Klinger (CSU) and Wilhelm Ertl (AWG) asked about these cases.
“That doesn’t fall under this,” explained Mayor Streu and added: “The firecrackers have been doing this for several years by distributing leaflets to the residents a few days in advance, informing them that a wake-up call or a wedding is being celebrated.”
With the official rejection of the local council, will there no longer be any more banging to be heard in Forstern during the year?
Many local councilors were skeptical.
After all, there have always been fireworks there in the past.
Apparently without permission.