Sant Jaume fireworks shelved due to fire risk

focs stjaumeEarlier today Formentera Council president Jaume Ferrer announced the fireworks that were to mark the festes de Sant Jaume “are being cancelled for the inevitable risk of wildfire”. President Ferrer indicated the decision was partially motivated by “the complex logistical factors and prohibitive cost of mobilising the emergency services necessary to reduce the inherent risks”.

Ferrer noted Formentera's current state of wildfire risk—“extremely high”—, which over the last week had translated into a handful of wildfires where injury or disaster had been avoided “thanks to a combination luck, the professionalism of CiF and Ibanat firefighters and local willingness to collaborate”.

That good fortune hasn''t released “our administration and residents from doing everything possible to avoid potentially tragic situations”. The president of the Formentera Council apologised to “all those moved by the exciting, emotional event” and expressed his hope that the tradition resume “as soon as conditions permitted”.

The fireworks display was scheduled to take place 25 July at midnight, in between the musical performances of Mishima and Ariel Rot.