Guatemala remained on alert Tuesday, August 4, 2026, following an eruption of the Fuego volcano, one of Central America’s most active and part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The ongoing volcanic activity has prompted authorities to evacuate hundreds of residents from nearby villages, with approximately 1,700 people currently housed in temporary shelters.
The country’s disaster agency, CONRED, confirmed that these evacuations will remain in place until conditions improve. Officials elevated the alert level to red in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Escuintla, and Chimaltenango, where an estimated 29,000 people are affected by ashfall. Schools in these areas have also been closed.
Authorities issued a warning that the next 72 hours are critical, as mudflows, some extending up to 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) long, continue to descend from the volcano. The risk of additional volcanic mudflows is expected to increase with incoming rain. Claudinne Ogaldes, executive secretary of CONRED, advised residents in the three affected municipalities to cover their water deposits and use face masks to protect against ash. Fortunately, no villages have been reached by the mudflows, and no structures have been reported damaged or at risk.
The eruption commenced Monday morning, with clouds of gas and ash rising above the volcano, accompanied by lava and pyroclastic flows rolling down its slopes. More mud and ash were emitted throughout Tuesday.
Among those evacuated were around 250 individuals from the community of El Porvenir and the hamlet of Las Lajitas. CONRED also cautioned that ash was spreading to nearby towns. In response to the eruption, National Route 14, a major highway near the volcano, was closed, and the Education Ministry suspended classes in surrounding areas.
The Fuego volcano, also known as the Volcano of Fire, has a history of powerful eruptions. A previous event in June 2018 resulted in hundreds of fatalities and the destruction of an entire village. Another eruption last year also necessitated preventive evacuations.
