Several Salamanca towns cancel San Juan bonfires under extreme fire alert

Several municipalities in Salamanca province have canceled their San Juan bonfires after Castilla y León declared an extreme wildfire-risk alert during a heatwave.

Cadena SER reported on Tuesday that Villares de la Reina, Carbajosa de la Sagrada and Ciudad Rodrigo called off their traditional bonfires because of the fire danger. The cancellations came as local authorities responded to a regional alert driven by hot, dry and windy conditions.

Mixed decisions across the province

Not every municipality took the same approach. Salamanca city said it planned to keep its San Juan bonfire in the Zurguen neighborhood, with close supervision from city firefighters. Béjar also planned to go ahead with its bonfire.

The different decisions show how local councils are weighing public-safety concerns against one of Spain's best-known late-June traditions. San Juan bonfires are especially sensitive in periods of elevated wildfire risk, when dry vegetation and wind can quickly turn a celebration into a hazard.

Regional fire-risk backdrop

The fire-risk alert had already been in place across Castilla y León before the Salamanca cancellations, and Cadena SER reported that the regional warning was extended through June 25 because of continued hot, dry and windy weather.

A separate report the same morning showed the same alert affecting other San Juan plans in the region, with León suspending its fireworks while keeping the bonfire itself. Together, the decisions point to a wider pattern of municipalities adjusting festivities as the heatwave peaks.

What to watch next

Further cancellations or tighter restrictions remain possible if conditions worsen before the June 23-24 celebrations. The main questions now are whether Salamanca city and Béjar complete their planned bonfires as scheduled and whether more towns in the province follow with last-minute changes.