Guatemala - (AFP) - One of Central America's most active volcanoes has erupted again, spewing lava and ash and forcing authorities in Guatemala City Sunday to temporarily close the country's largest airport as well as a highway.

The volcano, which bears the name Fuego, meaning fire in Spanish, returned to its activity on Saturday night, as molten rock flowed down its slopes and ash was thrown into the sky. The winds also carried the ash towards Guatemala City, 35 kilometers away.

In a statement, the Civil Aviation Authority announced the temporary closure of La Aurora International Airport, which is located six kilometers south of the capital, in the morning, after ash was detected near the runways, and at least two flights were diverted.

The airport reopened at midday after the winds changed direction and blew the ash away from the vital facility.

The authorities also closed a highway linking southern and central Guatemala as a precaution, according to a highway police spokesman, but it was reopened Sunday afternoon after the volcano subsided.

The volcano is located about 16 kilometers from Antigua, the former capital of the country, which is one of the most important tourist attractions in Guatemala.

The Fuego volcano erupts at a rate of once every four or five years, and in 2018 its eruption destroyed the village of San Miguel los Lotes, to which rivers of lava flowed, killing 215 people and missing a similar number.

Civil protection spokesman Rodolfo Garcia said the authorities are watching the latest eruption closely, and so far no one has been evacuated.

"Compared to what happened in 2018, the authorities are now more vigilant and active," said Jose Sol, an Alotenango resident.

Locals witnessed a sudden lava flow on Saturday night and reddened the sky. "People here are used to experiencing this, and they see it as normal," Demetrio Pamal, 28, an indigenous farmer, told AFP.

Many locals have a ready-made backpack with food, water, flashlight and medicine inside so they can evacuate for up to three days if they need to flee without warning.

Two other volcanoes are active in Guatemala, Santiagoto in the west of the country and Basaya in the south.

Fuego is adjacent to the dormant Acatengo volcano, at an altitude of 3,500 metres.

And unlike the Andean volcanoes of South America, Guatemala is not covered in snow due to the warmer climate in Central America.

There are more than 100 volcanoes in Central America, some of which are popular tourist attractions despite causing death and destruction.