It has been a week since many people at Valencia, and its surroundings, saw incredible fireworks while the streets of the city were getting ‘completely’ burned. La Cremà, the last scheduled event for this Valencian traditional celebration called The Falles, consists of setting on fire multiple monuments across Valencia crafted with wood, cardboard, wax, and other flammable materials.

Many sculptors, artists, artisans, and painters spend countless days building these grand monuments, or Ninots, and giving them color and life. The Ninots are placed in many popular streets and then on that one last day, after a lot of planning and hard work, they are burned down. It is emotional and fantastic; undoubtedly the most epic bonfires I’ve ever seen.

For more than two weeks, the cultural exhibition and a party atmosphere take on people’s frame of mind (and streets). Loud firecrackers are exploited everywhere from the first day until the last. Crowds gather to admire Falleras and the Falleros, the floral offerings, the musical and gastronomical experience, and of course the monuments and their fire.

Even while raining, bonfires, firecrackers, and fireworks caused a lot of spectacle and joy to visitors at The Falles 2022, but they also caused a lot of mess and trash, as expected. So how does a city plan and prepare to receive millions of mortals while keeping the streets clean and the mess in control during the celebration? Proper Logistics. 

Fireworks and Firecrackers: Distribution, Supply, and Control. 

The pyrotechnic culture is very rooted in Valencia. The passion for fire is evident. Children from 8 years up can purchase and explode many products. Fireworks, firecrackers, and ‘Tracas’ have always been an essential factor at the Valencian Falles, in all of its acts. The Nit del Foc, one of the most exciting events of this traditional celebration, displayed non-stopping pyrotechnics that lasted 20 minutes for the 2022 year and involved 1.500 kg of gunpowder.

La Mascletà, another important show of the Valencian Falles, takes place every day from the opening to the closing of the Falles. From 2 pm at the Plaza Del Ayuntamiento, very noisy and rhythmic compositions are shot for the festive reasons. For each Mascletà of 2022, 120 kg of gunpowder were exploited. There were 20 this year.

Who supplies all of this gunpowder to the public and the private? Who pays? Where are gunpowder products manufactured? How is the actual international situation affecting Fallas and the fireworks distribution? This video of Luis Oria Domenech, a UPV professor can give you a great overview of the pyrotechnics in Valencia.

Cleaning:

Crowds of people gathering for a traditional celebration usually implies having fun and leaving ‘horde tracks.’ A comeback after a pandemic calls for a party. And when people are partying, usually there is euphoria and ecstasy. How is the city cleaned every day and prepared for the next round?

A history-record budget could help. Good planning, organization, and deployment of a cleaning program is extremely helpful as well. A little rain, as we experienced during Falles 2022, is just as favorable.

Security: Police officers and firemen

The firemen are extremely vital when a place (or a Ninot) is in fire. Just like the police officers when there are multitudes drinking alcohol and throwing fireworks around. This article explains the result of the 2022 challenge in these topics.