Guatemala announces end of Fuego volcano eruption; evacuated residents head home

The Volcanology Institute of Guatemala reported on Wednesday that the eruption of the Fuego volcano, which began on Monday, had officially ended. The volcano, located 35 kilometers from Guatemala City, had been spewing lava and ash, prompting more than 1,700 people to flee the area. According to national experts, activity at the crater ceased after 50 hours.

The institute noted that although the eruption has concluded, precautions remain necessary due to large amounts of ash and the possibility of burning debris flows. Guatemala's emergency services agency Conred declared it safe for evacuated residents to go home. "It is now safe to return," Conred director Claudine Ogaldes told a press conference. "We are no longer asking people to evacuate," she said, urging communities to take precautions because the volcano could erupt again at any moment.

From Monday, lava had flowed down Fuego's slopes, and ash plumes rose up to six kilometers into the sky. Escuintla, south of the volcano, became a refuge for hundreds of locals fleeing the scene. On Wednesday, from that city, the volcano appeared calm, emitting only faint wisps of gas and ash, according to an AFP journalist. Local farmer Bernabe Marroquin, 61, said the situation is normal for him and his neighbors. "We live alongside the volcano. We know when it gets angry and when it's calm," he told AFP.

Earlier, Conred had issued the highest danger alert for the departments of Escuintla, Sacatepequez, and Chimaltenango, which are adjacent to the crater. Guatemala lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. Several mass evacuations have occurred in recent years due to Fuego eruptions. Last year, authorities evacuated over 500 people after the volcano released gas and ash, while another eruption in 2023 displaced around 1,200 people. In 2018, 215 people were killed and a similar number went missing when lava rivers destroyed a village.