During the Chienbäse procession in Liestal 100 cubic metres of wood go up in flames within just one hour.
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Thomas Kern was born in Switzerland in 1965. Trained as a photographer in Zürich, he started working as a photojournalist in 1989. He was a founder of the Swiss photographers agency Lookat Photos in 1990. Thomas Kern has won twice a World Press Award and has been awarded several Swiss national scholarships. His work has been widely exhibited and it is represented in various collections.
The evening parade, which first took place in 1902, is one of the most spectacular fire traditions in Switzerland. It’s made up of around 300 people carrying bundles of pinewood chips, “Chienbäse”, weighing 40-70 kg, as well as carts carrying bonfires and follows a 1,805-metre route through the town. The public is out in force and fire officers have the event under strict surveillance. Before that, there are the Fasnacht carnival processions in Liestal and in neighbouring towns. This year’s Chienbäse is on Sunday, February 26. (Pictures: Thomas Kern/swissinfo.ch)
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