On Monday, the Fuego volcano erupted, spewing lava and ash while pyroclastic currents poured down its southeastern slope throughout Tuesday morning. The volatile stratovolcano, situated just 16 km west of the tourist‑popular city of Antigua, has reignited fears that its dangerous flows can travel rapidly down the surrounding ravines.
Conred, Guatemala’s disaster‑management agency, issued a nationwide orange alert—the second‑highest warning level— and urged residents to abandon evacuation routes and remain away from the volcano's slopes. Schools in nearby communities were closed, and officials reminded citizens to keep windows and doors shut to reduce ash inhalation.
The area had last seen one of Fuego’s worst eruptions in 2018, when rapid pyroclastic flows struck the Las Lajas ravine, claiming more than 200 lives. The current eruption is believed to produce similar dangerous convicts, prompting the urgent evacuations.
Authorities request that any visitor or local remain vigilant, avoid descending into risk zones, and keep updated with real‑time alerts as the volcano continues to erupt.
