Europe's most active volcano, Italy's Mount Etna, erupted on Monday.
Lava and ash are spewing from a new fracture at the site in Sicily amid an unusually high level of seismic activity, the Mount Etna Observatory said.
The owner of a refuge on the volcano said hikers were being brought down from higher elevations to 1,900 metres (6,230 feet).
But there are no reports of injuries, and so far the spewing ash has not caused any disruptions to residents of nearby towns and cities.
Etna, the largest of Italy's three active volcanoes, has been particularly active since July.
