Volcano tourism has long been a popular activity. Being close to molten lava and witnessing such a force of nature up close has a special kind of allure, but when the opportunity arises to not only witness an eruption, but a new volcano forming, it can be a once in a lifetime chance.
1. Fagradalsfjall
In Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula, close to Litli-Hrútur Hill, the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system erupted again on 10 July, after being dormant for almost one year. The eruption started at 4:40 pm, after over 12,000 earthquakes had been registered in the days leading up to the event. Magma plumes began rising from a 900-metre-long fissure, spewing out 50 cubic metres of molten rock in just the first night.
“The earthquakes, which began this year on 4 July, were caused by a new magma intrusion in the area between Fagradalsfjall and Keilir, which is just to the north-east of the previous eruption sites in 2021 and 2022”, Laura Wainman, a PhD student at the School of Earth & Environment at the University of Leeds, studying the dispersion of environmentally reactive trace elements in volcanic plumes, explained for the BBC.
As part of the fissure cooled off and hardened and magma had a narrower area to reach up to the surface, a baby volcano started forming, growing to 30 metres tall in the first week. The eruption is still ongoing, with an estimated 9 cubic metres of magma pouring out of the newly formed crater every second.
This is the third eruption the site has seen over the past three years. The first one started on 19 March 2021 at 8:45 pm, after increased seismic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula for over a year, dating back to January 2020. The eruption was steady in the valley of Geldingadalir for about 6 months, attracting numerous visitors, and was officially declared over in December 2021 after being quiet since September. A second eruption started in the valley of Meradalir, on 3 August 2022. The fissures opened only 1 km north of the previous site. The eruption lasted up to 3 weeks.
Talking about how long this third eruption is expected to last, Wainman said that “at some point we will begin to see activity drop off and then we may see something like the eruption in 2021 where there were intermittent periods of activity before the eruption finally stopped. As for how long this eruption will last… we will just have to keep watching.”
These events are unusual compared to the background activity in the area over the last decades, explains Reykjanes tourism office. Periods of rifting and volcanism normally occur at intervals of 800-1000 years on the peninsula, alternating with periods of earthquake episodes occurring at intervals of a few tens of years. The latest eruption before 2021 was the Reykjanes Fires in 1210-1240 AD, where eruptive fissures within both the Reykjanes and the Eldvörp-Svartsengi volcanic systems were active, producing extensive lava flows. The latest earthquake episodes in the area occurred during 1927-1955 and 1967-1977. However, according to the Icelandic Met Office (IMO), “the current seismic activity is by far the most intense on the Reykjanes Peninsula since the start of instrument recording”.
2. Visiting the eruption site
On 17 July, a hiking trail to the new volcano opened. Interested visitors should check the latest Visit Reykjanes and Safetravels.is updates about the safety and state of paths before heading to the site, as they might close down with short notice due to the fact the eruption is ongoing and lava flows in unpredictable patterns.
Many tour operators offer guided tours of the volcano. Visiting with a local guide is highly recommended to get the most out of the experience and for maximum safety. Some scenic helicopter and airplane flights over the volcano are also available for those managing to book a seat.
I think it’s the combination of curiosity and mild terror in the face of this massive force of nature that keeps us coming back and drives us to want to study volcanoes.
Laura Wainman, PhD student at the School of Earth & Environment at the University of Leeds
There are two parking areas from where hiking trails start, but there is no public transport, so visitors have to arrange for their own vehicles. Visit Reykjanes warns that the paths have challenging terrain with gravel, lava fields, uneven ground and steep hills.
Path E – Meradalir (blue) to the new eruption site (July 2023) by Mt. Litli-Hrútur. The path is about 18-20 km. The first part of the hike is on a gravel path. The last 2 km over mossy lava rocks. It can take 5-6 hours in total to hike (not including a stop for viewing).
Path A – Mt. Fagradalsfjall (pink) to the eruption from 2021 and 2022 is about 6-8 km (one way), or about 2-2.5 hours of hiking. The distance depends on which parking the hiking starts from and on how much visitors explore around after reaching the eruption site.
Path C – Mt. Langihryggur (green) is about 4 km long (one way) to a viewing point of all the eruptions, from 2021, 2022 and 2023. From this path, visitors can see the lava from the new eruption by Mt. Litli Hrútur, but not the crater itself.
Other paths by Nátthagi (yellow) are about 2 km (one way) and are a much shorter and easier hike, from where visitors can see newly formed lava from 2021 but not the crater itself. This path only goes to the edge of the lava field from the parking zones.
3. Guidelines and safety
A hazard zone has been mapped out, as the eruption site is not safe for further eruption development. More fissures can open in the area and the lava is still running with steaming hot lava falling on the ground around the lava flow at full speed which can be difficult to run away from. Visitors are not allowed to enter the hazard zone.
Walking on the lava is dangerous and not allowed, even if it appears to be cool. Moreover, the Environment Agency of Iceland reminds visitors that lava is under special protection in Iceland, so throwing stones at it or making inscriptions or carving on dry lava is not allowed.
Authorities also warn against going too close to the eruption site due to the volcanic gases, which get more dangerous with less wind. The use gas is advised. Children, pregnant women and people with heart or lung diseases are recommended not to go to the eruption site.
Lastly, there are no service areas along the paths, so hikers have to ensure they bring enough water and food and have their phones fully charged. The mobile service is not secure in the whole area and the hiking trails usually close at 6 pm.
