Fuego Volcano Erupts in Guatemala, Prompting Village Evacuations

WHO:

ABC News - Claudinne Ogaldes, executive secretary of the Guatemalan disaster managing agency, CONRED.

BBC - The Fuego stratovolcano, one of the most active in Central America.

WHAT:

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The eruption has intensified, with lava and ash plumes reaching nearly 6 kilometers (4 miles) into the air.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology reported that ash plumes are rising to more than 6,000 meters (19,685 feet).

[11:26 AM EDT] - CNN - Authorities reported that at least three regions have declared red alerts, the highest level possible, to prompt more evacuations.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CNN - Authorities are expected to continue monitoring the volcano’s activity for about 72 hours.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The eruption has prompted the evacuation of at least 1,421 people from nearby towns.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CNN - An alert has been issued to pilots by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, warning that ash is affecting the airspace west and west-southwest of the volcano, up to the border with Mexico.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CNN - Authorities reported that 18 communities have been affected by the smoke and ash emissions so far.

AP News - 659 people were evacuated from eight villages in the danger area and are being housed in nearby shelters.

AP News - About 10 more communities are expected to be evacuated throughout the day.

CNN - The eruption has prompted the evacuation of at least 1,421 people from nearby towns.

CNN - Ash has spread up to 120 kilometers away, exceeding heights of 5,000 meters (3 miles) above sea level.

CNN - More than 29,000 people have been affected by the ashfall.

CNN - At least three regions have declared red alerts, the highest level possible.

CNN - Classes have been suspended in some municipalities near the volcano.

CNN - Tourist access to the Acatenango and Fuego volcanoes has been restricted until further notice.

ABC News - The eruption has caused pyroclastic flows rolling down the slopes at great speed.

ABC News - The eruption affected up to 1.7 million people during a previous eruption in June 2018.

CBS News - Officials warned of ash falling on nearby communities.

CBS News - The Institute of Volcanology highlighted that communities on the western and southern flanks of the volcano are at the greatest risk from hot volcanic debris flows.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The eruption has intensified, with lava and ash plumes reaching nearly 4 miles into the air.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - Footage released by emergency services showed the eruption turning clouds red and lava flowing down the slopes of the 12,346-foot volcano.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - "These flows are mixtures of volcanic gases, ash, rocks, and high temperatures that move rapidly down the volcano's slopes," according to CONRED.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - Another eruption from Fuego in 2023 caused the evacuation of around 1,200 people.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - In 2018, 215 people were killed and a similar number left missing when rivers of lava poured down the volcano's slopes, devastating a nearby village.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The eruption has intensified, with lava and ash plumes reaching nearly 4 miles into the air.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The nationwide orange alert issued by CONRED is one level below the highest alert level of red.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The Fuego volcano is located 22 miles from Guatemala City.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The Institute of Volcanology warned that the volcano is "moving towards a more explosive phase" and highlighted the risk of hot volcanic debris flows down Fuego's slopes.

ABC News - Authorities in Guatemala ordered evacuations in some southern communities around the Fuego volcano due to its eruption.

ABC News - The eruption started on Monday morning and increased throughout the day, leading to evacuation orders for two villages.

ABC News - An orange alert was declared by CONRED, warning of ashes spreading to nearby towns.

ABC News - Evacuations were conducted for El Porvenir and the hamlet of Las Lajitas, affecting around 50 families or 250 people.

ABC News - A fountain of lava developed over the crater, reaching heights of between 200 and 300 meters (650 to 1,000 feet).

ABC News - National Route 14, a major highway near the volcano, was closed.

ABC News - The Education Ministry suspended classes in nearby towns.

BBC - More than 200 people were killed during the Fuego eruption in 2018.

WHERE:

BBC News - The Fuego volcano is located near Escuintla, Chimaltenango, and Sacatepéquez.

ABC News - Evacuations occurred around the Fuego volcano in southern Guatemala.

ABC News - The affected villages include El Porvenir and the hamlet of Las Lajitas.

WHEN:

ABC News - The eruption began on a Monday morning.

WHY:

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - The Institute of Volcanology warned in a statement that the volcano was "moving towards a more explosive phase."

ABC News - The evacuations were a preventive measure due to the increased explosiveness of the volcano.

HOW:

[11:26 AM EDT] - CNN - Authorities are visiting house by house to encourage families to evacuate, as the evacuation is a recommendation rather than a mandate.

CNN - Authorities are visiting house by house to encourage families to evacuate, as the evacuation is a recommendation rather than a mandate.

CNN - Authorities are visiting house by house to encourage families to evacuate.

[11:26 AM EDT] - CBS News - Emergency services released footage showing the eruption turning clouds red and lava flowing down the slopes of the volcano.

ABC News - Authorities conducted evacuations as a response to the eruption and declared an orange alert.

(UPDATED August 5, 2026 11:18 UTC)

The volcanic eruption has intensified significantly, with lava and ash plumes reaching heights of nearly 6 kilometers, or about 4 miles, into the air. In response to the escalating situation, at least three regions have declared red alerts, prompting authorities to visit homes and encourage families to evacuate, although the evacuation remains a recommendation rather than a mandate. Authorities will continue to monitor the volcano's activity closely for the next 72 hours.

(UPDATED August 5, 2026 08:18 UTC)

A volcanic eruption has led to the evacuation of at least 1,421 people from nearby towns, with authorities visiting homes to encourage families to leave, although the evacuation remains a recommendation rather than a mandate. An alert has been issued to pilots by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, warning that ash is impacting airspace to the west and west-southwest of the volcano, extending toward the border with Mexico. So far, 18 communities have been affected by the smoke and ash emissions from the eruption.

(UPDATED August 5, 2026 05:02 UTC)

In a significant evacuation effort, 659 people have been moved from eight villages in a danger area and are currently being housed in nearby shelters. Authorities are actively visiting homes to encourage families to evacuate, as the evacuation remains a recommendation rather than a mandate, and about ten more communities are expected to be evacuated throughout the day. This proactive approach aims to ensure the safety of residents in the affected regions.

(UPDATED August 4, 2026 22:59 UTC)

A volcanic eruption has led to the evacuation of at least 1,421 people from nearby towns, with ash spreading up to 120 kilometers away and reaching heights of over 5,000 meters. More than 29,000 individuals have been affected by the ashfall, prompting three regions to declare red alerts, the highest possible level of warning, while classes have been suspended in some municipalities. Authorities are actively visiting homes to encourage families to evacuate, and tourist access to the Acatenango and Fuego volcanoes has been restricted until further notice.

(UPDATED August 4, 2026 21:10 UTC)

A significant volcanic eruption has triggered fast-moving pyroclastic flows down its slopes, posing a serious threat to nearby communities. Officials are warning residents about the potential for ashfall, especially affecting those living on the western and southern flanks of the volcano, which are deemed at the greatest risk from hot volcanic debris. This eruption echoes a previous event in June 2018, which impacted up to 1.7 million people.

(UPDATED August 4, 2026 19:27 UTC)

The Fuego volcano near Escuintla, Chimaltenango, and Sacatepéquez has erupted with intensified activity, sending lava and ash plumes soaring nearly four miles into the air. Footage from emergency services shows the eruption transforming clouds into a striking red hue while lava flows rapidly down the slopes, described by CONRED as a dangerous mix of volcanic gases, ash, rocks, and extreme heat. The Institute of Volcanology has issued a warning that the volcano is "moving towards a more explosive phase," raising concerns reminiscent of past eruptions that have caused significant evacuations and tragic loss of life.

(UPDATED August 4, 2026 17:38 UTC)

The Fuego volcano in Guatemala has erupted with intensified activity, sending lava and ash plumes soaring nearly four miles into the air. In response, CONRED has issued a nationwide orange alert, which is just one level below the highest red alert, as the Institute of Volcanology warns that the volcano is moving towards a more explosive phase, increasing the risk of hot volcanic debris flows. Emergency services have released dramatic footage showing the eruption turning clouds red and lava cascading down the slopes of the volcano.

(UPDATED August 4, 2026 15:29 UTC)

Authorities in Guatemala have ordered evacuations in southern communities around the Fuego volcano due to its recent eruption, which began on a Monday morning and intensified throughout the day. The evacuations affected about 50 families, or 250 people, in the villages of El Porvenir and Las Lajitas, as a fountain of lava reached heights of up to 300 meters, prompting an orange alert from the disaster management agency, CONRED. National Route 14, a key highway near the volcano, has been closed, and classes in nearby towns have been suspended as a precautionary measure.