Barcelona’s firefighters will be working around the whole city and operating additional fire extinction units. In all there will be 104 firefighters and 22 command figures from the corps on duty in the city, with seventeen automatic pumps available for rural and urban areas.
The Fire Prevention, Extinction and Rescue Service will be running a special operation tonight to respond to any needs which may arise.
In the days leading up to the celebrations the city’s firefighters have been inspecting premises, making checks and authorising outlets and temporary stalls selling fireworks, ensuring they comply with safety measures. In all, 125 sales points have been authorised.
Another task carried out by the fire service ahead of the celebrations is to set out the minimum conditions for bonfires in the street. The regulations on bonfires in the city have been updated this year, with three types established:
- Large bonfires: no limits on the amount of wood to burn
- Small bonfires: limit of 250 kg of wood to burn
- Bonfires in burners: limit of 25 kg of wood to burn
Large bonfires are the only one of the three types which require an advance report from the Barcelona Fire Service. Conditions have been approved for five large fires to be lit in the city (three in L’Eixample and two in Sant Martí).
Special attention will be given to forest areas at night, with surveillance in this part of the city to run well into the night. In this respect it is very important for people to be mindful of the danger of letting off fireworks near woodlands and it is prohibited to engage in activities which involve sparks or fire within 500 metres of the wooded areas of Collserola and Montjuïc.