Fuego Volcano

Fuego Volcano Latest News

Guatemala’s Volcan de Fuego, one of Central America’s most persistently active volcanoes, produced a striking explosive eruption recently.

About Fuego Volcano

• Volcan de Fuego, which translates to “Volcano of Fire” in Spanish, is an active volcano located in Guatemala.
• It is a relatively young basaltic stratovolcano. 
• It is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala’s former capital, Antigua.
• Nestled between the neighboring volcanoes of Acatenango and Agua, it rises dramatically to an altitude of 3,763 meters (12,346 feet) above sea level.
• It forms part of the Central American Volcanic Arc, a chain of volcanoes stretching from Guatemala to Panama. 
• Guatemala lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
• Fuego has erupted more than 60 times since 1524, making it Central America’s historically most active volcano.
• A deadly eruption in 2018 claimed 194 lives and left 234 people missing.
• Since then Volcan Fuego has continued to be active, but to a lesser extent, with small eruptions several times a day.
• Typical activity is characterized by ashfall, pyroclastic flows, lava flows, and lahars.

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What is a Stratovolcano?

• It is a tall, steep, and cone-shaped type of volcano.
• Unlike flat shield volcanoes, they have higher peaks.
• They are typically found above subduction zones, and they are often part of large volcanically active regions, such as the Ring of Fire that frames much of the Pacific Ocean.
• Strato Volcanoes comprise the largest percentage (~60%) of the Earth’s individual volcanoes, and most are characterized by eruptions of andesite and dacite, lavas that are cooler and more viscous than basalt.
• These more viscous lavas allow gas pressures to build up to high levels. Therefore, these volcanoes often suffer explosive eruptions. 
• They are usually about half-half lava and pyroclastic material, and the layering of these products gives them their other common name of composite volcanoes.
• At the peak, stratovolcanoes usually have a small crater. The crater may be filled with water or ice, or it may contain a volcanic dome during a period of relative inactivity.

Source: IT