Valencia City Council, in collaboration with neighborhood associations, Fallas committees, and hoteliers in Russafa, has launched an awareness campaign to promote the responsible use of firecrackers during the festivities. The initiative seeks to reconcile the tradition of fireworks with safety and peaceful coexistence among citizens.
The action will focus on areas with large crowds, with special attention to the intersections of Calle Sueca. In previous years, this area has seen incidents such as “firecracker wars” and the creation of improvised spaces for the mass launching of fireworks.
The aim is to prevent the risks associated with these practices in crowded areas.
The campaign will complement the police security measures planned for the Fallas festival. According to the president of the Russafa Municipal Council, Paula Llobet, the aim is for fireworks, as part of Fallas culture, to be used with respect for other people and public spaces.
Information stands and street-level actions
To spread the message, posters will be put up on streetlights and info will be handed out at shops, hotels, and Fallas clubs in the neighborhood. The campaign will also be on street furniture (mupis) and EMT buses that go through the area.
During the main week of the festivities, a team of informants will walk the streets to convey prevention messages directly. They will also hand out badges with the campaign slogan and observe the impact of firecracker use on the environment to gather information.
The initiative also addresses cleanliness and civic behavior. Specific signage has been designed in Spanish, Valencian, and English to indicate the location of temporary public urinals and new waste collection points.