Guatemala's Fuego volcano , considered the most active in Central America, has erupted with unusual violence. Since Monday night, the 3.763-meter-high colossus, located about 50 kilometers from the Guatemalan capital, has entered an eruptive phase that authorities are calling a paroxysm , the moment of maximum explosive intensity. The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) has raised the alert level to red in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango, and Escuintla, where approximately 1,6 million people live, although no fatalities have been reported so far.
The eruption began on Sunday with steady, escalating activity, and during the early hours of Tuesday, pyroclastic flows were recorded descending several ravines , including La Seca, Ceniza, Las Lajas, and Honda. These torrents of gases, ash, and incandescent rocks at high temperatures pose the main danger to communities located on the volcano's slopes. The National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH) warned that the eruptive phase could last between 24 and 72 hours, and that the arrival of two easterly waves could bring rains that trigger violent lahars.
Evacuations and affected communities
Authorities have ordered the preventive evacuation of more than 1.700 people , according to the latest report from CONRED (National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction). The first evacuations affected residents of the hamlet of El Porvenir and the village of Las Lajitas, in the municipality of San Juan Alotenango, as well as the villages of Morelia and Panimaché, in San Pedro Yepocapa. Many families were transported by bus to shelters set up in the urban center of Alotenango and in the southern municipality of Escuintla. CONRED's executive secretary, Claudinne Ogaldes, explained that they are visiting homes to convince residents to evacuate, as the law does not allow them to be forced to leave. A total of 18 communities are directly affected by the ashfall and the risk of pyroclastic flows.
Among those evacuated is 50-year-old Sonia Vásquez, who told AFP, "We're used to the volcano always being active, but this time it was too much." Another resident, Alejandro GarcÃa, recounted how they ran for their lives when they saw lava flowing down the slopes. The fear of repeating the 2018 tragedy , when an eruption left 215 dead and a similar number missing, is very much alive among the inhabitants. Lidia Ortiz, 40, said at the Alotenango shelter, "If there were a way to move, that would be better, because we're always afraid that the volcano doesn't give any warning."
Volcanic activity in numbers
According to reports from INSIVUMEH, the eruption has generated lava fountains between 200 and 300 meters high above the crater, while columns of gas and ash have reached over 7.000 meters above sea level. Ash is dispersing to the west and southwest, reaching distances of up to 130 kilometers. Since the start of the eruption, 34 earthquakes have been recorded, most with epicenters in the Pacific Ocean. Pyroclastic flows have traveled between five and seven kilometers through the Seca ravine, and subsequently also through the Ceniza ravine. The risk of lahars (mud and rock flows) has increased due to the forecast of rain in the volcanic chain, which could further complicate the situation.
The director of INSIVUMEH, Edwin Rojas, indicated that the volcano is in its most critical explosive phase. Authorities have recommended that residents stay away from ravines , wear masks to avoid inhaling ash, cover food and water containers, and prepare an emergency kit. In addition, tourist access to the Acatenango and Fuego volcanoes has been restricted, and National Route 14, which leads to Alotenango, has been closed due to volcanic ashfall.
Official measures and historical context
The Ministry of Education has suspended in-person classes in communities across three municipalities near the volcano until further notice. Traffic police have closed a highway connecting the southern coast to the colonial city of Antigua, the country's main tourist destination. Meanwhile, Guatemala City's international airport remains operational , although precautions have been recommended for air traffic. CONRED (National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction) has opened five shelters and is preparing three additional ones to accommodate evacuees. Defense Minister Henry Saenz has announced patrols to prevent looting in the evacuated areas.
The Fuego volcano, along with Pacaya and Santiaguito volcanoes , is one of Guatemala's three active volcanoes. Its last significant eruption before this one occurred on March 9, 2025, and the deadliest was on June 3, 2018, which devastated entire communities. In 1932, an eruption sent ash as far as El Salvador and Honduras. The current activity is the most intense since 2018 , and authorities are maintaining constant monitoring for at least the next 72 hours, with regular updates.
The eruption of the Fuego volcano has put Guatemala on high alert, with more than 1.700 people evacuated, 29.000 affected, and an emergency response deployed in three departments. Ash columns reaching over 7.000 meters and pyroclastic flows advancing through several ravines have the population on edge, remembering the tragedy of 2018. Forecasted rains could trigger lahars, so authorities are urging voluntary evacuation and adherence to civil protection recommendations. Meanwhile, the international airport remains open, and in-person classes are suspended in the at-risk areas, pending a decrease in volcanic activity in the coming hours.
