Álava bans all San Juan bonfires and pyrotechnics as fire risk spikes

Álava’s provincial government imposed an immediate, territory-wide ban on San Juan bonfires, pyrotechnics and any machinery that could generate sparks after weather officials raised the wildfire danger to very high or extreme during a severe heatwave.

The order, reported by Cadena SER on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, covered the traditional celebrations in Vitoria-Gasteiz, including the bonfires planned in the Judimendi and Arriaga neighborhoods. It was set to remain in force until 23:59 that night.

Emergency order

According to the report, the Diputación Foral de Álava issued the restriction as an urgent foral order after a change in the forecast from Euskalmet, the Basque weather service. The ban did not stop at bonfires: it also prohibited pyrotechnics and spark-producing equipment.

The decision came as much of Spain faced intense heat and rising fire danger. A broader wave of heat alerts and wildfire concerns provided the backdrop for the provincial move, which officials treated as a public-safety measure.

Cadena SER said Diputado General Ramiro González communicated the order to Vitoria-Gasteiz mayor Maider Etxebarria and other municipal officials.

Local celebrations affected

The San Juan bonfires are a longstanding midsummer tradition in parts of Spain, and Vitoria-Gasteiz had been preparing for the night’s festivities. The report said the city had initially planned to keep the Judimendi and Arriaga fires while canceling only some rural bonfires near wooded areas.

Álava’s province-wide order overrode that plan.

The ban affected one of the city’s best-known festival nights and created tension between the province’s fire-prevention priorities and local celebration plans. Officials moved quickly because the risk conditions had deteriorated enough to justify a full shutdown rather than a partial restriction.

The order was reported to take effect immediately and to expire later the same day, at 23:59 on June 23.

Broader reporting on the heatwave from The Guardian and the Associated Press reinforced the regional context of high temperatures and elevated wildfire concern across Spain and Europe.

What to watch next

The main questions now are whether the order is extended beyond June 23, whether Vitoria-Gasteiz revises its festival plans further, and whether provincial officials publish more detail on enforcement or penalties if the ban is ignored.