Mt. Etna

Mount Etna is one of the worlds most active volcanoes, it has been erupting for over 2000 years. Over these years it has been given a multitude of names including the Mountain Of Fire or the Home of the Cyclops. This volcano has put there fear in men down through the ages. It is located in Sicily in Italy and is the largest mountain in Italy. Underneath the surface of this mountain, there is the middle of the Earth just bursting to get out. On the surface there are cracks and vent holes and caves to release pressure. But what struck the fear in the men down through the ages is that when it does erupt it could blow a hole anywhere in the mountain, putting settlers at risk.

Mt Etna has killed thousands of people down through the years because of its instability. Its volcanic soil is rich in minerals that lined the mountainsides, this made great agricultural grounds for wine and olives. It also has a forest that runs down the side of its slopes, which is filled with wildlife such as Foxes, Squirrels, Porcupine, Hedgehogs, Turtles, Owls, Frogs, Toads, Snakes, Falcons, Lizards, Weasels and some Wild Cats. Through the ages this area was highly populated because of its Earthly Goodness. What people thought through the years was that the volcano is up there and it is erupting, so we are safe here. Most of the time they were right but some of the time they were not so lucky.

Mount Etna stands 3350 meters high on average, after every eruption it may differ slightly. It is the largest active volcano in all of Europe having a diameter of 1,190 km2. Mount Etna started off as an under water volcano off the coast of Sicily over a half a million years ago. As it erupted and cooled down fast by the sea it started to grow in height, forming the strength for a base of an Island. Over the millions of years it joined up with the main land and continued to grow. It has collapsed on numerous occasions causing huge landslides that can cause devastating tsunami’s. You can see such evidence of these collapses on Mt Etna’s hillsides today.

Stromboli

Stromboli is an Island that formed from the sea bed millions of years ago. It is one of the worlds most active volcanoes, it has not stopped erupting for the last 2000 years. Looking at the size of the island and the fact that is constantly erupting you wouldn’t imagine people live on this island. 700 people actually call this island home. Stromboli is a small island off the north coast of Sicily which lays in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its constant eruptions are usually small and they all seem to happen at the summit, allowing inhabitants to occupy the shore lines of the island.

Stromboli stands at 926 meters above sea level but under the waters surface there is an extra 2000 meters from where it began millions of years ago on the oceans floor. This volcanoes walls have collapsed over the years leaving a crator on the North Western side of the mountain. Stromboli has the record for the longest activity period of all the volcanoes.

Its latest big eruption was in Aug 2008, this eruption saw all of the islands occupants flee the island in boats away from the power of Middle Earth. These eruptions lasted until June. In this time the mountain formed four new blow holes which erupted 20 times every hour. Another big eruption  happened in 2002 causing a collapse of the hillside which resulted in a tsunami, that flooded Stromboli and Ginostra on the main land. Most of the deaths caused by this volcano was from falling debris, these people were mostly tourists that got to close.

Mt Yasur

Yasur is in the South West Pacific Ocean an is one of the 83 islands that lay on the Pacific Ring Of Fire. It is known by pilots and sailors as the Lighthouse of the Pacific because of its constant eruptions. It has erupted many times an hour for the past 800 years and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down either. There are many volcanoes in this area and they are all responsable for the 83 islands, volcanic activity has been in this area since the begining of time because of the fault lines that run under the Earths crust.

Yasur stands at 361 meters above sea level and is located on the coast of Sulphur Bay. Most of this island lays bare and hosts very little vegetation. It has a 400 meter circular crator at it summit that is constantly spitting out magma from the centre of planets core. This island was discovered by Capitan James Cook in 1774, it was the burning night sky that grabbed his attention and he was drawn to it.

Even though Mt Yasur is constantly erupting it is a famous tourist destination. The scientists and locals have put warnings up in levels, level 0 to level 5. Level 5 is the most dangerous and tourists are not allowed up the summit at all, levels determine how close you can get to the top of the summit. Level 0 is relativly safe but still unpredictable. Its at levels 0-3 you will be able to take pictures like the one above.