Fuego volcano forces evacuations in Guatemala as lava lights up the sky

Guatemalan authorities have ordered residents in at least two villages to evacuate after the Fuego volcano erupted, sending lava and ash shooting into the air.

Fuego, regarded as one of the most active volcanoes in the Western Hemisphere, began erupting on Monday. The country’s volcanic monitoring agency reported that pyroclastic flows, fast moving currents made up of hot gas, volcanic ash and rock fragments, continued rushing down the volcano’s south eastern slope into early Tuesday.

Guatemala’s disaster management agency, known as Conred, raised a nationwide orange alert, the second highest level on its warning scale, and cautioned residents to remain prepared as further eruptions could generate additional pyroclastic flows and large ash clouds. The agency advised people living nearby to keep their doors and windows shut, and officials canceled classes at schools located close to the volcano.

Fuego sits roughly 16 kilometers, or about 10 miles, west of Antigua, a city that draws large numbers of tourists each year for its well preserved colonial era architecture and status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The volcano itself has also become a popular destination for hikers in recent years, drawing visitors who trek its slopes for views of the surrounding region.

Conred urged both tourists and local residents to avoid approaching the volcano or lingering in areas considered at risk, particularly along its slopes, as the situation continues to develop.

The eruption has revived memories of a far deadlier event in 2018, when a sudden eruption of Fuego killed more than 200 people. Many of the victims were overtaken by fast moving pyroclastic flows that swept down the Las Lajas ravine with little warning, a disaster that remains one of the deadliest volcanic events in the country’s recent history.

Fuego’s frequent activity has long made it one of Central America’s most closely monitored volcanoes, with authorities maintaining routine surveillance given its proximity to populated areas and popular tourist destinations.