National Day will take place under a blazing sun

On Monday afternoon, a red weather alert will come into force in Luxembourg due to a prolonged spell of abnormal heat. Temperatures are expected to exceed 30°C, raising serious concerns amongst the organisers of the military parade to mark National Day, scheduled for 23 June. The upcoming event is highly likely to be the hottest in the history of meteorological records. To date, the highest temperature ever recorded on 23 June was 31.7°C, set in 2016. Similar readings above 30°C were also recorded in 2005 and 1967.

Despite the extreme weather conditions, the dress rehearsal for the parade took place on Sunday morning on Avenue de la Liberté. As Captain David Migy of the Luxembourg Army explained, the actual parade will last about an hour, but the rehearsals took almost twice as long due to the need to practise specific elements. In light of the weather forecast, the organisers made a number of changes to the programme. Senior Lieutenant Tom Brecht reported that the uniforms of military personnel and police officers had been adapted to cope with the high temperatures. In addition, participants will be provided with extra supplies of water and salt to maintain their body’s water and salt balance.

At the same time, the Fire and Rescue Service of the Grand Duchy (CGDIS) has significantly stepped up its medical presence at the event. Jan Niebelschütz, Head of Operational Coordination, emphasised that the military units are responsible for monitoring the condition of their own personnel, whilst the rescue teams will focus exclusively on assisting spectators. Four ambulances, four mobile teams and additional medical staff will be stationed along the entire route. For safety reasons, the corps command has decided to completely exclude service animals from the parade. For the comfort of visitors, drinking water stations will be set up along the route, and a water mist will be sprayed opposite the official grandstand. Despite preliminary discussions about a possible postponement or change to the start time of the procession, the organisers have decided to stick to the original schedule, making only minor adjustments to the programme.