Heatwave forces Swiss authorities to act
A heatwave is continuing to hold many parts of Switzerland in its grip despite some heavy thunderstorms.
Temperatures reached 36.7°C in the city of Geneva on Wednesday, slightly down on the previous day.
An increasing number of local and regional authorities have announced a ban on open fires and fireworks near forests as a precautionary measure.
Water levels in several rivers and lakes have dropped low as experts warn of a serious risk for fish and reptiles.
The authorities in the mountain resort of Nendaz decided to refill a mountain lake situated at more than 2,200m above sea level. The Tracouet LakeExternal link is home to a large population of amphibians and exceptional alpine flora.
The River Aare, popular with swimmers in the Swiss capital, Bern, reached a record 23.9°C.
Thunderstorms and hail, notably in the Bernese Oberland region and in western Switzerland, brought temporary relief, but temperatures are expected to remain high.
More
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.