- Mount Spurr, a volcano near Anchorage, Alaska, is showing signs of impending eruption.
- Mount Spurr isn't likely to disrupt life in Anchorage, but it could shut down airports and prevent citizens from going outside.
- This would be Mount Spurr's third time going off in the last 100 years.
Scientists say that an eruption from Mount Spurr, a volcano near Anchorage, Alaska, is likely to erupt in the coming weeks or months.
The volcano is emitting large amounts of dangerous gas and experiencing seismic unrest. Magma is also developing beneath the volcano and snow is melting on its surface. Scientists predict more activity and surface heating to grow from the volcano, providing days or hopefully weeks of advance warning.
Nevertheless, such warning may not be forthcoming.
“It is also possible that an eruption could occur with little or no additional warning,” the Alaska Volcano Observatory stated. “This would be extremely hazardous for recreators on Mount Spurr or near its drainages as well as those overflying the volcano.”
What could Mount Spurr do to Anchorage?
Anchorage, which at a population of over 280,000 people is Alaska’s largest city, has erupted before. Multiple “vents” or eruption points exist on Mount Spurr. About 5,000 years ago, the summit vent exploded; more recently, the Crater Peak vent, which is about two miles south of the summit, erupted once in 1953 and three times in 1992, per CBS News. Researchers find that the probable upcoming explosion is most likely to come from Crater Peak, per Alaska Public Media.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory predicts that the current likely upcoming eruption would probably look like the eruptions that took place in the 1900s.
Such eruptions lasted up to seven hours and fumed ash over tens of thousands of feet into the sky. Ashfall about a quarter-inch deep mildly disrupted everyday life in Anchorage in 1992, but only so far as keeping residents inside for a time or forcing them to wear masks if they did go outside. Airports were also temporarily closed.
Mount Spurr has been under watch since spring 2024, when researchers noticed minor earthquakes taking place under the mountain, per Alaska Public Media.
Mount Spurr remains in advisory status as of March 13. The observatory predicts that the volcano will experience “one or more explosive events,” judging from the amount of unrest currently boiling beneath the mountain’s surface.
“More often than not, we have explosive eruptions that fragment magma and shoot ash, you know, 50,000 feet into the atmosphere,” said Matt Haney, head of the observatory.
Government reaction to the explosion
Alaska is home to 130 volcanoes, 53 of which have been active in the last few centuries. At over 10,000 feet tall, Anchorage is barely in its shadow — the city is about 80 miles southeast of the volcano.
Alaska is not new to volcanic eruptions.
“We are actively working with General Services Administration to ensure that every facility and asset is utilized effectively, and where necessary, identifying alternative solutions that strengthen our mission,” stated Miel Corbett, the western communications chief with USGS, on Wednesday, per Anchorage Daily News.
“These efforts reflect our broader commitment to streamlining government operations while ensuring that conservation efforts remain strong, effective and impactful.”
Authorities recommend that Alaskans create emergency preparedness kits, including N95 masks in case of excessive ash in the air, spare air and oil filters, windshield wipers and washer fluids for vehicles and plastic sheeting and tape to cover sensitive equipment.