Barcelona's Sant Joan festivities drew 90,000 to the beaches despite extreme heat and fire risk. Emergency services reported few serious incidents, but police made arrests and fire crews responded to over 100 blazes.
Barcelona’s Sant Joan celebrations saw 90,000 people gather along the city’s five-kilometre coastline, as the annual festival unfolded under a severe heatwave and heightened wildfire risk. Despite the challenging conditions, emergency services reported a relatively calm night, with no major fires or serious injuries recorded. The event, which traditionally draws large crowds to the beaches, required a significant police and emergency presence to maintain order and safety.
From 6:30 a.m., Guardia Urbana, Mossos d'Esquadra, and the Port Police began clearing the beaches to allow cleaning crews to prepare the sand for the day ahead. This year’s turnout was slightly below last year’s record of 92,000, but the scale of the operation remained substantial. Mayor Jaume Collboni, accompanied by Security Deputy Albert Batlle and Chief Inspector Pedro Velázquez, personally oversaw the beach operations. According to Batlle, the night was “intense but relatively calm,” reflecting the balance between festive energy and effective crowd management.
Medical teams attended to 32 people on the beaches, with 17 requiring hospital treatment. Police detained 11 individuals, including one person involved in a violent incident at Mar Bella beach, where a large machete was used in an assault. The victim received prompt medical attention and is not in life-threatening condition. Meanwhile, cleaning services removed 70 tonnes of rubbish left behind by revellers, and city firefighters responded to 120 fires, half of which involved rubbish containers.
While the beaches remained the focal point, celebrations also spread to city squares and streets. Civil Protection authorities issued warnings as 110 municipalities in Catalonia faced a very high wildfire risk, and over 500 towns were on elevated alert. This led to the suspension of bonfires and fireworks in the most vulnerable areas. By midnight, the Generalitat’s fire service had received more than 600 calls, mostly for minor vegetation fires, container blazes, traffic accidents, and various rescues. The highest number of incidents was reported in Barcelonès, Vallès Occidental, and Maresme.
This year’s Sant Joan also marked the debut of new video surveillance cameras along the Barceloneta seafront. Twelve cameras, focused exclusively on the promenade and not on the sand or bathers, were activated to enhance security. The 112 emergency hotline received 10,260 calls related to the festivities across Catalonia by 9 a.m. Wednesday, corresponding to 5,207 incidents. Barcelona accounted for 2,158 calls, while L’Hospitalet de Llobregat registered 791. The majority of calls—74.4%—originated from the province of Barcelona, with Tarragona, Lleida, and Girona making up the remainder.
Large-scale public events like Sant Joan require coordinated efforts from multiple agencies, especially when weather conditions increase the risk of fire and heat-related incidents. The combination of high temperatures and dense crowds has become a recurring challenge for Catalan authorities. For context, major sporting events can also test emergency services’ capacity, as seen in international tournaments such as the recent Group E match between Ecuador and Curazao, which drew significant attention and required robust security measures, as detailed in this report on crowd management during high-profile matches.
Sant Joan remains one of Catalonia’s most significant public celebrations, blending tradition with modern safety protocols. The authorities’ ability to prevent major incidents this year, despite the extreme weather and fire risk, highlights the evolving approach to managing large gatherings in urban environments. The introduction of surveillance technology and rapid emergency response are likely to shape future editions of the festival, as Barcelona continues to balance festive spirit with public safety.
