Popocatepetl volcano; In the Artec language Popocatepetl means smoking mountain. In April of 1997 the Popocatepetl volcano shot out ash above this tiny village just 45 miles southeast of Mexico City. The ash was sent 7.5 miles into the sky causing alarm and panic among the 300,000 people that live on the volcano's flanks. The sky high ash affected flights arriving to Mexico City causing massive delays.