This year, there will be no fireworks to celebrate the festivities of Buen Jesús de Priegue, a neighbourhood in the Nigrán region of Pontevedra province. This news might not have passed through the pages of local history if it were not for the fact that the absence of fireworks in the southern Galician municipality is linked to a much wider debate that involves other parts of Spain and even abroad: Should we abandon the fires, which are part of its tradition and are in the DNA of many festivals, to avoid the inconvenience they cause to part of the population and to domestic animals?

Priegue concluded that yes.

Parties yes, fires noJust over 2,000 people live in the Priegue district of Nigrán, but the decision made by the festival commission just now made headlines. Because those responsible for organizing its celebrations have agreed to forego the use of pyrotechnics during the Buen Jesús Festival.

The neighbourhood group decided to “stand with those bothered by pyrotechnic noise” and confirmed that no fireworks with “loud sound impact” would be launched. “Despite being a long-standing tradition, this neighbourhood group argues that this has more than justified ethical reasons.”

“With respect”. This is the argument put forward by the Commission. It decided to abandon “loud noise” fireworks out of a “respect” for people who are more sensitive to noise and animals. “The noise produced by fireworks can cause anxiety episodes in autistic girls and boys, disorders in people with hyperacusis, stress in the elderly, noise pollution and known disorders in animals,” it emphasizes.

The organization has issued a statement saying that this summer’s festivals will feature a “light show with low noise effect” instead of “the traditional log fire”. It insists that the aim is “to guarantee a celebration that is friendly to our environment and the most sensitive people, without forgetting the support given to the pyrotechnic sector, which is aware of the problem”.

Beyond Galicia. The residents of Priegue are not the only ones who are saying goodbye to fireworks. A few months ago, a similar decision was made in San Fernando, in Cádiz. The City Council decided to abandon them in order to put the finishing touches to the Feria del Carmen or de la Sal festivities. The reason for this was stated in May. Cadiz NewspaperIt was the same: Avoid causing discomfort to parts of the population, including the elderly, people with autism or Asperger’s, and pets.

Adding examples and continuingSan Fernando wasn’t the first to rethink its fireworks tradition, citing what the mayor called “a matter of sensitivity.” Months earlier, a proposal had been put forward in Seville’s Coria del Río that would have included the elimination of loud fires from local celebrations. In Sant Joan, Mallorca, residents even launched a popular consultation to decide whether they wanted fireworks during their celebrations: 213 people voted and 139 supported removing them from the program.

The list of towns that have chosen to rethink their use of fireworks is extensive and includes examples such as Chipiona, Santa Cruz, Fuencaliente… Some towns took this step years ago. Others, such as Priegue, are now joining in.

(Far) beyond SpainThe debate about pyrotechnics, noise and their effects on parts of the population and animals is by no means exclusive to Spain. In other countries, it has begun to enter political debate.

For example, last year in Switzerland, Feuerwerksinitiative launched a signature collection with the support of Greenpeace, Swiss Animal Rights and Zurich Zoo to promote a popular initiative to limit its use in the country. More than 137,400 signatures were distributed in Bern in November.

In 2014, a Change campaign supported by around 190,500 signatures was launched to force Argentina to draft a law to stop “pyrotechnic torture”. The impact on people with autism or pets, and the use of “quieter” alternatives, has also been discussed in Chile or Belgium.

Image | Counting Stars (Flickr) and Jack Patrick (Unsplash)

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