Check out these spectacular photos of Mexico’s Colima volcano erupting

NEVADO DE COLIMA, Mexico — Mexico’s Colima volcano, or Volcán de Colima, has been living up to its reputation as one of the most active volcanoes in the country.

For months the volcano, which is located more than 300 miles west of Mexico City, overlapping the border between Colima and Jalisco states, has been spewing huge plumes of ash, water vapor and gases into the atmosphere.

The Popocatepetl volcano near Mexico City has also been active recently. The last major explosive eruption was in 1913 and scientists expect another one this century.

Colima volcano’s recent activity has attracted lots of attention in Mexico and around the world.

Photographers and volcanologists have been travelling to the national civil protection agency's observatory, which is based on an extinct volcano three miles from the Colima volcano, to witness and record the impressive show.

GlobalPost was there recently. This is what we saw. 

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

Apart from ash raining down on their homes, local residents have not been seriously affected by the recent eruptions.

Nevertheless, the country's civil services department is ready to evacuate the tens of thousands of people living in the dozens of small towns within a few miles of the volcano if the eruptions intensify — something they haven’t had to do since 2005.

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

They have good reason to be prepared. Records dating back to the 16th century show the Colima volcano, which is about 12,500 feet above sea level, has erupted explosively more than 40 times. 

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

These so-called exhalations, which sometimes stretch thousands of feet high, are normal and tend to happen more frequently after the rainy season, which ends in October.

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

The photo below shows a civil protection officer near the snow-capped Nevado de Colima, an extinct volcano located three miles from the very active Colima volcano.

Three officers are stationed at an observatory on Nevado round the clock to monitor the activity of Colima volcano.

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

The Colima volcano erupted as officers and photographers looked on from the safety of the observatory on Nevado. 

At night, lava can been seen oozing and, occasionally, spurting out of the crater.

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

After multiple eruptions during the day, the Colima volcano took a break at sunset. 

Allison Jackson/GlobalPost

This video shows a particularly spectacular eruption on the morning of Feb. 26.