GUATEMALA CITY — Guatemala's Volcano of Fire is spewing lava and ash and the director of the national disaster agency says officials are carrying out "a massive evacuation of thousands of people" in five communities.

The statement by Alejandro Maldonado comes after the volcano spewed lava nearly 2,000 feet (600 meters) down slopes billowing with ash on Thursday.

Seismologists say explosions have been coming from the 12,346-foot-high (3,763-meter-high) volcano, which is near the Guatemalan tourist center of Antigua.