All hell breaks loose at Mallorca's fire run

At the Correfoc, people dance and romp through the otherwise peaceful streets of Palma in a shower of sparks, while fire-breathers blow clouds of flames over their heads — like this participant dressed as a demon. After a two-year forced break due to COVID-19, the wild spectacle was able to take place again this year.

It takes a bit of courage to get up close and personal with these loud, wild devils — and not just because of the creepy outfits. Due to the noise and rain of sparks, visitors are advised to wear cotton clothing as well as protective headgear, earplugs and glasses. More than 180 kilograms (about 400 pounds) of fireworks are set off during such parades.

Notwithstanding the amount of fireworks, participants are rarely injured. Even if the images from the Correfoc may at first glance remind you of the recent New Year's Eve riots in Germany, they are very different. Firecrackers and rockets are taboo, and private pyrotechnics are strictly prohibited.

A total of nine so-called Dimoni groups with 270 dancing devils and about 500 participants paraded through downtown Palma on Sunday, scaring onlookers with fireworks. The Dimonis, the devils, are an integral part of the patron saint festivals during winter that take place throughout the island in January.

These drummers provided the appropriate acoustic background to the two-hour fire run. Together with the exploding fireworks, they make a hell of a racket.

The fire run marks the end of the annual festival in honor of the town's patron saint, Sant Sebastia — even if this demon does not necessarily evoke holy associations.

According to historians, the tradition of fire devils, which also exists on the Spanish mainland in Catalonia and Valencia, can be traced back to both pagan and Christian origins.