Fuego volcano erupts near Guatemala City; evacuations and school suspensions ordered
Authorities raised the alert and began evacuations after new activity at Fuego; schools and a main road to Antigua Guatemala were closed.
Fuego volcano has erupted near Guatemala City, prompting evacuations and school closures.
Guatemalan authorities raised the national alert to the second-highest level after renewed activity at the Fuego volcano and ordered immediate evacuations of residents from two villages located about 35 kilometres from Guatemala City. Officials also suspended classes in schools across the affected area and closed the road linking the country’s southern region with the UNESCO-listed town of Antigua Guatemala.
In an official post on August 4, 2026, the country’s disaster agency CONRED urged precautions:
"Given the activity of the #VolcánDeFuego, we recommend to the population:
- Do not approach ravines or remain in areas of danger.
- Have the 72-hour backpack ready.
- Review and activate the Family Response Plan.
- Put into practice the principle of self-evacuation."
— CONRED (@ConredGuatemala), August 4, 2026.
Context and recent history
Guatemala sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, so mass evacuations around active volcanoes are a recurring emergency response. Last year more than 500 people were moved from danger zones because of gas and ash emissions, while in 2023 about 1,200 people were evacuated during a separate Fuego eruption.
The deadliest recent event occurred in 2018, when 215 people died in an eruption and an equal number remain listed as missing. Fuego rises to 3,763 metres and is considered the most active volcano in Central America, known for frequent explosions that send ash and incandescent material into surrounding areas.
Photo: ConredGuatemala / Facebook
