Cities braced for more fireworks, problems on last New Year's before ban
105 Dutch municipalities are bracing themselves for more fireworks and related problems this New Year’s Eve, NU.nl found when surveying the municipalities. They expect fireworks enthusiasts to go all out as a national fireworks ban will likely be implemented next year.
The newspaper surveyed all 342 Dutch municipalities, and 324 of them responded. Several said that the number of fireworks-related reports is already increasing.
“We expect some residents will want to take advantage of this opportunity to go all out, which could lead to more reports of nuisance, damage, or dangerous situations,” Wijk bij Duurestede told the newspaper. Amersfoort, Helmond, and Leiden, among others, gave similar statements.
BuitenBeter, an app where people can report fireworks nuisance, also already noticed an uptick in complaints. “Since the autumn break, we’ve already received 9,000 complaints about fireworks nuisance,” Han Beukers of BuitenBeter told NU.nl. Last year, the app received a total of 14,000 fireworks-related reports. “Because most reports come in December, we expect 20,000 this year.”
Fireworks dealers have also reported an increase in sales. Many municipalities are, therefore, taking extra steps to try and ensure a safe New Year’s celebration. In addition to extra police presence and enforcement, municipalities are also holding information sessions in schools, identifying hotspots, and sending warning letters to previous offenders, among other things. Some are organizing alternative entertainment for young people on New Year’s Eve, hoping to keep them away from fireworks.
The police are also bracing themselves for a “possibly turbulent New Year’s Eve,” a spokesperson told the newspaper. “We’ve seen increasingly serious incidents against emergency responders in recent years,” she said.
This year, 20 municipalities have banned consumer fireworks within their borders, one more than last year. Zwolle is new to the list. At least 105 municipalities have established firework-free zones - areas where citizens aren’t allowed to light fireworks. These are often near schools, nursing homes, petting zoos, or nature reserves.
Most municipalities told NU.nl that they are pleased the national government is finally banning consumer fireworks nationwide next year. Nevertheless, all municipalities hope for one last “beautiful and peaceful” New Year’s Eve with fireworks.
Municipalities with a fireworks ban for New Year’s Eve 2025
- Alkmaar
- Amersfoort
- Amsterdam
- Apeldoorn
- Arnhem
- Bloemendaal
- Eindhoven
- Haarlem
- Heemstede
- Heumen
- Mook en Middelaar
- Nijmegen
- Rotterdam
- Schiedam]Soest
- Tilburg
- Utrecht
- Utrechtse Heuvelrug
- Zutphen
- Zwolle
