Swiss army flies water to four Fribourg alpine farms

The Swiss army is flying water to four alpine farms in the canton of Fribourg, SRF reported, as persistent drought causes shortages in areas inaccessible by road.

The Swiss Air Force began the operation on Wednesday morning using Super Puma helicopters. The deliveries are expected to be completed by Friday at the latest.

By the end of the week, the army and private operator Swiss Helicopters AG are expected to have delivered about 200,000 litres of water to alpine farms in the canton. Swiss Helicopters has been operating since July 28 and has already supplied six farms. The army is serving four more.

Fribourg has declared a special situation in the districts of Vivisbach, Greyerz and Sense because of the shortage. The main aim is to prevent livestock from being brought down from the alpine pastures prematurely, said Christophe Bifrare, head of the canton’s civil protection and military office.

“We want to ensure that the livestock remains in the alpine pastures,” Bifrare told SRF. While grass is scarce in the valleys, it is still available at higher elevations. The affected farms have numerous cattle and other livestock.

Additional water is needed not only for the animals but also for daily work on the farms, including the production of alpine cheese, Bifrare said. Bringing the livestock down early could lead to a shortage of feed in the valleys and significant losses for the cheese industry.

Bifrare said the cost of the army operation to the canton could not yet be calculated. The agriculture department has set aside about 20,000 Swiss francs for support.

The army has also supplied water to two alpine farms in the Bernese Oberland this year. Yves Charrière, a brigadier in the Swiss army, said it still had capacity to help in other regions. In the event of a national disaster, however, priorities would have to be set by a conference of the cantons rather than by the army itself.