GUATEMALA / RankWire.AI / – Guatemala activated its highest emergency alert in three departments after Fuego volcano intensified, sending ash and hot volcanic material down its slopes. Red alerts covered Chimaltenango, Sacatepéquez and Escuintla, while an orange alert remained active nationwide. Officials reported ashfall across 18 communities, affecting about 29,000 people. Emergency teams maintained evacuation measures in settlements close to ravines and other areas exposed to volcanic activity.
Fuego’s latest eruptive phase began Monday and grew stronger as the volcano released gas, ash and lava. Pyroclastic flows descended through five ravines on the western and southwestern sides of the mountain. Several flows reached distances of five to seven kilometers from the crater. The fast-moving material includes heated gas, ash and volcanic rock, creating severe risks along drainage channels and steep slopes.
Authorities began moving residents from El Porvenir and Las Lajitas in San Juan Alotenango. The first evacuation involved about 250 people from nearly 50 families. Shelter operations later expanded as more residents left communities affected by ash and nearby volcanic hazards. Five temporary shelters housed about 1,699 people, while emergency officials prepared three additional locations for possible use.
Evacuations increase as ash spreads
CONRED coordinated the emergency response with municipal authorities and teams working near Fuego. The agency advised residents to stay away from ravines and follow local evacuation instructions. Officials also asked families to cover food and water supplies to prevent ash contamination. People in affected communities received guidance to wear masks or damp cloths over their nose and mouth during heavy ashfall.
INSIVUMEH monitored the eruption through seismic equipment, cameras, satellite images and reports from field observers. Scientists recorded pyroclastic flows in the Seca, Taniluyá, Ceniza, Las Lajas and Honda ravines. Continued emissions of gas, ash and lava kept volcanic activity elevated. Winds carried ash toward Sololá, Quetzaltenango, Suchitepéquez, Retalhuleu and San Marcos, beyond the departments operating under red alert.
Transport and schools face disruption
Authorities closed National Route 14 because the road passes near the volcano and several exposed communities. The Education Ministry suspended classes in affected areas while emergency operations continued. Road crews monitored access points and travel conditions around the mountain. La Aurora International Airport remained open under its volcanic ash procedures, and security patrols watched evacuated neighborhoods to protect homes and assist residents.
Rainfall added another danger by mixing with loose ash, rocks and debris left along Fuego’s slopes. This material can form lahars that travel rapidly through riverbeds and ravines. Officials reported no structural damage in nearby communities during the latest assessment. Mudflows had also not reached populated areas. Fuego lies about 30 kilometers south of Guatemala City and remains one of Central America’s most active volcanoes.