Headline:
Sturdy Winds Postpone New Year’s Eve Bonfires in The Hague; NJ Duik Cancelled
Subhead:
Safety concerns and high winds force changes to traditional celebrations.
Article:
The traditional New Year’s Eve bonfires in Scheveningen, Duindorp, and Laak have been postponed until 23:00 hours tonight, following a decision by The Hague’s mayor, Jan van Zanen, in consultation with the police, fire brigade, and the Public Prosecution Service. The bonfires were originally scheduled for New Year’s Eve but had to be rescheduled due to anticipated wind gusts of 6 or 7 along the coast.
This precaution comes after the 2018-2019 bonfires in Scheveningen resulted in dangerous situations, with tall,owejally lit piles of wood causing extensive damages, including burning rooftops and street furniture. The incident ultimately led to the resignation of the then-mayor of The Hague, Pauline Krikke, in October 2019.
In the following three years, no bonfires were held, first due to safety concerns and later due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2022, however, the tradition has been allowed to resume under strict safety guidelines.
Unfortunately, stringent weather conditions have forced another change this year. Due to the expected strong winds and high water levels, the popular NJ Duik event at Wijk aan Zee and Egmond aan Zee has been cancelled. The fate of duik events in Zandvoort and Texel will be decided tomorrow.
Despite these cancellations and postponements, authorities anticipate that many people will still venture into the sea. The Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNRM) and the Wijk aan Zee rescue brigade strongly advise against this. "Do not go to the beach on your own and do not attempt to take a dip in the sea," they warn, citing the dangerous conditions.
