<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Guatemala's Volcano of Fire is erupting, and authorities have evacuated nearly 300 families while warning that another 30,000 people in the area could be at risk.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The eruption started overnight local time. There is no immediate report of casualties.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 3763-metre-high volcano is one of the most active in Central America. It last erupted in June 2023.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/lyle-and-erik-menendez-la-district-attorney-says-he-wont-support-resentencing-the-menendez-brothers-because-they-lied/afbc8dfa-e9ae-4562-a85e-cbd3bf0bb786" target="_blank"><strong><span>LA district attorney says he won't support resentencing the Menendez brothers because they lied</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The volcano spewed gas and ash far into the sky on Monday, leading authorities to close schools in the vicinity and a key road connecting communities.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Claudinne Ugalde, secretary of the disaster agency, said “some 30,000 people more or less are at risk in these three (jurisdictions) and we are trying to have them evacuate or self-evacuate".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The biggest danger from the volcano are lahars, a mixture of ash, rock, mud and debris, that can bury entire towns.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/guatemala-volcano-of-fire-erupts-forces-evacuations/2bc6ab93-b138-4157-a1e9-d6fe99db3272" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A 2018 eruption killed 194 people and left another 234 missing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Isaac García, 43, a resident of El Porvenir on the slopes of the volcano, had that tragedy in mind when he and his family decided to heed authorities' warnings to evacuate early Monday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“We were a little worried because a few years ago the volcano became active,” García said, referencing the 2018 eruption, as he spoke with a mask to protect against the falling ash.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He came to a shelter opened in San Juan Alotenango with his mother, wife and their three children, as well as other relatives.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/doctors-declare-pope-francis-no-longer-in-imminent-danger-due-to-pneumonia-but-remains-hospitalized/fbd37df5-4fcc-4e5b-aeb4-f5cd09454ad8" target="_blank"><strong><span>Doctors declare Pope Francis no longer in imminent danger due to pneumonia, but remains hospitalised</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The volcano is 53km from Guatemala's capital.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The flow of volcanic material is weak to moderate but expected to increase, Guatemala’s disaster agency said early Monday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>