The heatwave and the intensity of wildfires ravaging Spain have led numerous municipalities, from Chinchón to Badajoz, including El Campello and Huesca, to suspend fireworks for their main festivals. This preventive measure aims to avoid disasters in natural and urban environments, despite these being long-standing traditions.
Town councils such as Soto del Real (Madrid) and El Campello (Alicante) have justified the cancellations, arguing that prevention and the protection of nature and people must take precedence over festive interests. In Antequera (Málaga), the decision was made to replace fireworks with a drone show.
The pyrotechnics sector describes the year as "catastrophic," denouncing a "cascade of cancellations" and feeling like the "scapegoat." The Spanish Pyrotechnics Association (Aepiro) points out that wildfires caused by pyrotechnics account for only 0.049% of burned hectares in recent years and defends that their activity is "fully regulated and safe," with controls and security measures in place.
Nicolás Magán, director of Aepiro, criticizes that pyrotechnics are treated "as if we had no law and order" and questions the systematic cancellations, especially in Andalusia. He recalls the economic impact of the sector, which generates 20 euros for every euro invested and mobilizes thousands of people, in addition to considering it an "art, culture, and heritage."
Despite the general trend, some town councils, like San Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid) and L'Ametlla de Mar, have proceeded with their shows by reinforcing security measures and with preventive deployments by firefighters.
