Residents at a nursing home in the canton of Neuchatel are being relocated over fears that the home, on the edge of a forest, is at high risk from forest fires.
EMS La Chomette is close to the Chaumont Forest which was ravaged by fire earlier this month. A report by the Cantonal Insurance and Prevention Organisation prompted the relocation after it highlighted a lack of fire precautions in the home.
The nursing home had been scheduled to merge with two others in the canton sometime in the future at a new site in Boudry. However, the Chaumont Forest fire and the continuing drought has brought forward plans to close La Chomette, with all residents being relocated by the end of this month.
The city council and all partners associated with the home decided that the risk of fire was simply too high to keep it open.
Authorities announced yesterday that, until everyone has left the building, security guards will patrol the site in case wildfires hit the forest again.
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