Copahue Volcano's Activity Raises Threat Level

In Chile, the government has raised the threat level to red alert after the Copahue volcano has begun churning and spewing ash.

The volcano, which stands at 10,000 feet in Argentina's southwestern Neuquen province, began showing signs of activity on Saturday morning, the volcano spewing ash and gas, according to the BBC News.

While authorities have told residents to keep a close eye on the volcano, many locals have already started evacuating the area as a preliminary precaution.

Since the activity began, a 5,000-foot plume of smoke has arisen from the volcano, the wind pushing it away from Argentina, according to Onemi, Chile's emergency office. And due to the volcanic activity, planes flying over the southern part of the Andes are being warned away from the area.

A statement to CNN from Chile's Geological and Mining Service released Sunday said that no mandatory evacuations have been ordered around the remote volcano.

Believed to have been formed some 500,000 years ago, the Copahue volcano has experienced mild-to-moderate exexplosive eruptions since the 18th century, according to the Global Volcanism Program, which monitors volcanoes worldwide.

CNN reports that at least three eruptions have occurred at the South American volcano during the 1990s, with Copahue's last significant eruption happening from July to October 2000. The initial eruption was the catalyst for serious damage around the area, including mudslides, which forced many people around the area to evacuate for safety.