Wildfire in Guatemala

On 22 February, 2024, a forest fire started on the slopes of the inactive Agua volcano in Guatemala. The Agua volcano, one of the highest in Guatemala, is approximately 10 kilometres from the colonial city of Antigua, which is a popular tourist destination in the country.

Firefighters and military personnel faught to extinguish the fires, working against thick smoke and dense vegetation around the clock to reduce the risk of escalation. Two helicopters were also used to provide support, dropping water from above to combat the flames. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the exact amount of burned hectares was not determined. Investigations were carried out to understand the origins of the fire are till ongoing.

There were no reported casualties or evacuations. The fire significantly damaged the vegetation on the upper part of the 3,766-meter-high volcano, which will have an ecological impact on the local ecosystem and biodiversity.

The Agua volcano, also known as Hunahpú by the Maya indigenous people, holds historical significance and is part of a protected area due to its rich diversity of flora and fauna. Therefore, efforts are being made to preserve the area and reduce the spread of the blaze as much as possible.

UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER requested the activation on behalf of the Executive Secretariat, National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction of Guatemala (SE-CONRED).