Fuego volcano activity that triggered evacuations in Guatemala is decreasing, but risks remain

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Activity at Guatemala's Fuego volcano that began Monday morning and caused widespread evacuations is gradually decreasing, authorities said Wednesday.

However, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction, or CONRED, urged the population to remain cautious because rainfall from a tropical wave from the east could trigger potentially deadly volcanic mudflows known as lahars.

CONRED also confirmed that some people who were evacuated between Monday and Tuesday returned voluntarily to their homes.

“But the eruptive activity continues, and it is recommended to follow the authorities’ instructions regarding preventive evacuation,” the agency said.

Approximately 1,700 people have been evacuated from at least 18 communities on the slopes of the volcano after the eruption that began on Monday. No deaths or damage have been reported.

Live broadcasts of the volcano’s activity show periods of complete clarity interspersed with ash emissions. Early Tuesday morning, the volcano spewed lava that reached a height of about 300 meters (984 feet), triggering red alerts, evacuations, a highway’s closure, and the suspension of classes in three departments.

Fuego volcano, one of Guatemala’s most active, has an elevation of 3,768 meters (12,300 feet) and is considered a stratovolcano: a tall, cone-shaped volcano formed by layers of hard lava, ash and rock. It is located between the departments of Escuintla, Chimaltenango and Sacatepéquez in the southern and central regions of the country and is 53 kilometers (33 miles) from Guatemala’s capital.

A volcanic eruption on Sunday, June 3, 2018, killed hundreds of people, wiped out an entire community and impacted up to 1.7 million people. Another eruption last year spurred preventive evacuations.

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Children evacuated from El Porvenir, a village on the slopes of the Fuego volcano, play inside a temporary shelter in Escuintla, Guatemala, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Residents evacuated from El Porvenir, a village on the slopes of the Fuego volcano, gather in a temporary shelter in Escuintla, Guatemala, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

FILE - The "Volcan de Fuego," or Volcano of Fire, blows a cloud of ash seen from Palin, Guatemala, on March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)

Families evacuated from areas surrounding the Fuego Volcano arrive at a temporary shelter in San Juan Alotenango, Guatemala, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Lava flows out of the crater of the Fuego Volcano, as seen from San Juan Alotenango, Guatemala, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Construction crews working on a new helipad at the White House have taken apart the massive granite seal that would serve as the new landing spot for Marine One, signaling potential delays in the project.

Photos captured by The Associated Press on Wednesday show construction workers using a jackhammer on the helipad, which no longer carries the dark gray trim of a presidential seal that was visible last week. It was unclear why the seal was being removed.

The White House said it's continuing to make improvements as part of efforts to best match the needs of the building and its grounds. Trump has said the helipad is needed because new helicopters in the fleet used for Marine One are so powerful they rip out the South Lawn grass.

“For years, the White House has desperately needed a proper helipad on White House grounds that will allow the president to land safely and also protect the beautiful South Lawn grass from the fierce exhaust fumes of the incredible Marine One," White House spokesman Davis Ingle said on Wednesday. "Thanks to President Trump, the White House has never looked better, and it will only continue to get better under his leadership.”

The helipad is part of a long list of renovations that Trump has undertaken in his second term. His projects include a 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-meter) ballroom; a Rose Garden paved over with stone; a new marbled interior in the Palm Room, a lobby-like room that leads out to the West Colonnade and Rose Garden; and an Oval Office that continues to add gilded decorations.

Trump described the helipad at length during an Oval Office appearance last month, saying it would be made of carved granite and calling it a “beautiful thing.” The president also said Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of defense contracting giant Lockheed Martin, would be paying for the project, which he estimated would cost up to $6 million. Lockheed referred comment on the helipad construction to the White House.

The new helicopters used for Marine One are manufactured by Sikorsky and made their debut under then-President Joe Biden in 2024. But their use has been limited because their exhaust vents aim heat downward, posing a risk to the South Lawn grass.

Trump has said that using granite rather than concrete for the helipad was his suggestion. He has also noted that the landing pad could be used for other White House events, such as press conferences.

The removal of the seal was first reported by The Washington Post.

Construction continues on a helipad on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tierney L. Cross)

Construction continues on a helipad and the White House Ballroom on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tierney L. Cross)

Construction continues on a helipad on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tierney L. Cross)

Construction continues on a helipad on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Tierney L. Cross)

Workers use a jackhammer on the helipad on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)