Acatenango and Fuego

June 18, 2020

Capture

June  2020 Viewer's ChoicePhotographer: Oscar Eduardo Mendizabal
Summary Author: Oscar Eduardo Mendizabal: Jim Foster

Shown above, in the background, are the Guatemalan stratovolcanoes of Acatenango and Fuego (erupting) as observed on December 21, 2019. Acatenango stands 13,045 ft (3,976 m) and Fuego 12,346 ft (3,763 m). These are but two of the more than 30 volcanoes found in this small country (42,043 sq mi or 108,890 sq km) -- only three (Pacaya, Fuego, and Santa María) are recently active. Note that the crops in the foreground are a mixture of broccoli, beans and corn. Guatemala is endowed with fertile soil, partly a result of its volcanic history, though less than 15 percent of its land is actually arable.