New Mt. Fuji Eruption Safety Recommendations

Above, a bullet train (Shinkansen) view of Mount Fuji. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The last time Japan's Mount Fuji erupted was in the early 1700s.

It is still considered an active volcano, just dormant. But that's not stopping Japanese authorities from providing recommendations for public safety in case the mountain decides to erupt.

According to Travel and Tour World:

The Japanese authorities have released new recommendations urging residents to remain indoors in the event of a possible eruption from Mount Fuji. An expert panel has classified ashfall into four distinct levels of severity, advising evacuations for wooden structures experiencing more than 30 cm of ash. The guidelines stress the importance of having emergency provisions for at least seven days, avoiding the use of cars, and effectively managing ash accumulation. Public readiness and awareness are key components of the recommendations.

In light of potential volcanic threats, the Japanese government has issued updated guidelines advising residents to stay indoors if Mount Fuji erupts, causing significant ashfall across the Tokyo metropolitan area. This comes after thorough evaluations by an expert panel assembled by the government. While Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest peak, last erupted over 300 years ago and the likelihood of another eruption is low, these new regulations aim to prepare the public for any unforeseen events.

To read more, go here.

FAA Plan To Slash Hawaii Volcanoes Helicopter Tours 88%

Above, approaching a Kilauea crater by helicopter in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As one might expect, the current eruption of Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island in Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is drawing a lot of spectators. Along with that, demand for helicopter tours over the volcano are in high demand.

Getting a helicopter tour will be harder if a plan by the FAA and the National Park Service goes into effect. The plan is to slash tours by 88%.

Beat of Hawaii reported:

On an auspicious day when USGS just announced and shared photos (above) of the Kilauea volcano once again erupting, as seen within the Halemaumau crater, a visitors-welcome Zoom meeting will take place regarding the proposed drastic reduction in helicopter tours in the area. During the last eruption, your editors found it impossible to get a helicopter tour when they visited. With the planned reduction we imagine that tours will become far more costly too.

The FAA and the National Park Service (NPS) have issued a draft Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) with significant proposed changes and a massive reduction in helicopter tours for both Haleakala National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The issue is the overall environmental impact of the air tours, especially the constant noise helicopters create.

We have to say this is a good idea. We’ve hiked at Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park on Kauai many times,  only to have helicopters flying over us incessantly at the end of the trail.

The FAA and NPS plan is to severely limit helicopter tours at two Hawaii locations: the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island and the Haleakalā National Park on Maui. If you have any opinion on this, you are urged to comment before the June 20 deadline. More information is below.

I took a helicopter tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in 2016 and it was an enjoyable and interesting experience.

To read more, go here.

How To See The Volcanic Eruptions On The Big Island

Above, approaching a Kilauea crater by helicopter. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Big Island is getting a lot of attention lately as it has two volcanoes erupting at the same time.

The volcanoes erupting are Kilauea and Mauna Loa at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Mauna Loa started erupting on November 27.

Many people are flocking to the Big Island of Hawaii to view the eruptions. Travel Weekly has posted an article on how to see Mauna Loa and Kilauea. 

Above, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters at Hilo Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I took a helicopter flight over Kilauea in 2016 with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters out of Hilo Airport. It was an interesting flight, one that I heartily recommend. Kilauea was quiet at the time, but we did see lava inside a crater as we flew over it.

Travel Weekly begins with:

It's been almost 40 years since the last time the Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes were erupting at the same time. As such a rare event, it's already brought many visitors to the island specifically to see the spectacle, while others are still wondering whether they should get on a plane and go.

The answer to that question came earlier this month from Hawaii County mayor Mitch Roth. "It's actually a great time to come," he said in a press conference. "People are here and seeing some of the most unbelievable sights ever, and you don't have to go up Saddle Road. You can see [the Mauna Loa lava flow] from Hilo. You can see it from Kona. You can see it from Kau."

In order to see both the Kilauea and Mauna Loa eruptions at the same time, you'll have to go to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HVNP), atop Kilauea. The park is closest to Hilo, and it would be recommended to arrive at that airport if the park is part of the agenda. 

To read more, go here. 

Japan Police Preparing for Possible Mount Fuji Eruption

Above, a Shinkansen view of Mount Fuji. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The last eruption of Japan's Mount Fuji was during the 18th Century. Since then, the mountain has remained dormant.

That could change at any time and Japan is preparing for such a possible eventuality.

According to the Jiji Press: 

Tokyo, June 19 (Jiji Press)--Japan's National Police Agency has started making full-fledged preparations for a possible eruption of Mount Fuji, the tallest peak in the country.

The NPA will purchase dust masks for distribution to local police departments, assuming that volcanic ash may fall in not only areas near Mount Fuji but also the metropolitan region in the event of an eruption, informed sources said.

"We need to make preparations for a potential complex disaster, such as an eruption occurring after a massive earthquake," an expert said.

 To read more, go here.

Mount Aso On Kyushu Erupts

Mount Aso on Kyushu, Japan should be a familiar place to fans of Godzilla and related kaiju movies.

Above, inside Aso Volcano Museum in 2007. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was where the Rodans met their demise in Rodan (1956). I paid a visit to Mount Aso National Park in 2007. I couldn't see much as a snowstorm blew into the area at the same time I was there. However, I was able to see inside of the crater through television monitors set up in the visitor center.

Well, the old mountain has decided to erupt again.

Reuters reported:

TOKYO, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A volcano erupted in Japan on Wednesday, blasting ash several miles into the sky and prompting officials to warn against the threat of lava flows and falling rocks, but there were no reports of injuries or casualties.

Mount Aso, a tourist destination on the main southern island of Kyushu, sent plumes of ash 3.5 km (2.2 miles) high when it erupted at about 11:43 a.m. (0243 GMT), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

It raised the alert level for the volcano to 3 on a scale of 5, telling people not to approach, and warned of a risk of large falling rocks and pyroclastic flows within a radius of about 1 km (0.6 mile) around the mountain's Nakadake crater.

 To read more, go here. 

How To Safely View Kilauea Eruptions

Above, a helicopter view inside Kilauea's crater in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The recent eruptions of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island is drawing a lot of attention and people want to see it for themselves.

Travel Weekly has posted an article with tips on how to safely view it.

They start it with:

Kilauea, a volcano at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, started erupting on Sept. 29, and, so far, the activity is contained within its crater, making for some spectacular sights.

During the day, spectators can see volcanic gas and steam billow out of Halemaumau, the summit crater. The park is open 24-hours a day, and at night visitors are entranced by the 127-acre lava lake casting a reddish-orange glow against the crater walls and into the dark sky. 

To read more, go here. 

New Eruption At Kilauea Volcano

Above, an aerial view of Kilauea Volcano in May 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A Magnitude 4.4 earthquake has struck the Big Island of Hawaii tonight along with an eruption of Kilauea volcano.

According to West Hawaii Today:

Hawaii County Civil Defense said the eruption that commenced shortly after 9:30 p.m. Sunday remains confined to the Kilauea Volcano’s summit caldera.

“According to HVO (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory), it looks like it’s all contained within the crater, however, the National Weather Service did say that there was a plume that was released from Halemaumau that had rised for 30,000 feet,” Bill Hanson with Hawaii County Civil Defense said shortly before 11:30 p.m.

According to the observatory, Sunday night’s eruption was preceded by an earthquake swarm accompanied by ground deformation detected by tiltmeters. An orange glow was subsequently observed on IR monitoring cameras and visually beginning approximately 9:36 Hawaii time.

Civil Defense said a magnitude-4.4 earthquake that struck at 10:36 p.m. on Kilauea’s south flank was not large enough to cause a tsunami.

Previous updates: The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has upgraded Kilauea Volcano’s alert level to “WARNING” and aviation color code to “RED” following an eruption that commenced shortly after 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

 To read more, go here.

Study: Mt. Fuji Ash Would Paralyze Tokyo

Above, a shinkansen view of Mount Fuji. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Coronavirus aside, here's something interesting from Japan.

If a major eruption of Mount Fuji should occur, it would paralyze Tokyo in just three hours. This is something that should be considered since several of Japan's volcanoes have erupted over the past several years.

According to News On Japan:

A Japanese government panel says Tokyo would become unable to function as the country's capital in about three hours if a large-scale eruption of Mount Fuji were to occur. 

When Mount Fuji last erupted in December 1707, it spewed ash for more than two weeks. Several centimeters accumulated in the city of Edo, which later became Tokyo. 

The government panel simulated what would happen if an eruption of that scale were to occur today, covering the greater Tokyo area with volcanic ash. 

It found that the ash would likely reach central Tokyo and the neighboring prefectures of Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama just three hours after the eruption.

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Almost 100% Reopened

Above, a vent of Kilauea volcano. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island was shut down for four months due to eruptions of Kilauea volcano. Now, it is almost entirely open to visitors.

Travel Pulse reported:

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was shut down for more than four months this summer after Kilauea’s outburst in May. But now the good news is flowing. Since its “soft opening” on September 22nd, bits and pieces of the Park have continued to open little by little, and here in November, it is very nearly up and running at full speed. Here are the latest updates.

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Spooking Visitors, Bookings Down

Above, vegetation on fire from a Kilauea lava tube. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's really no reason for it, but tourists and some tourist companies have been spooked by the recent eruptions of Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island.

According to Reuters:

HONOLULU, Hawaii (Reuters) - Cruise ships have canceled stops on Hawaii’s Big Island. Hotel rooms will sit vacant this summer despite price cuts. 

And guest house owners and tour guides that depend on the 2 million visitors each year to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are wondering how long their families will go without any income. 

Tourism authorities say summer bookings for hotels on Hawaii’s Big Island have fallen almost 50 percent since the volcano began spewing lava and toxic gases on May 3. 

The closure of the park, the state’s top tourist destination, alone is costing the island $166 million, the National Park Service said on Monday. 

Potential visitors to the Big Island have been spooked by images of lava torching homes, soldiers wearing gas masks and now deadly white clouds of acid and glass shards as molten rock streams into the Pacific. 

While Kilauea’s lava flows are in a small, roughly 10-square-mile rural area in the southeast Puna district, the volcano is having an impact on tourism across the Big Island, home to 200,000 people.

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii Eruptions Declared "Major Disaster" By President Trump

Above, one of Kilauea volcano's vents as seen during a tour with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the request of Hawaii's governor, President Donald Trump has declared the Big Island's eruptions a "major disaster".

AOL reported:

HONOLULU ― President Donald Trump on Friday declared the recent volcanic eruptions in Hawaii a major disaster, signaling federal agencies to assist with recovery efforts and allowing the state to access federal funding. 

The declaration comes after a week of earthquakes, newly opened fissures and devastating lava flows have plagued neighborhoods in the Puna district of Hawaii’s Big Island. Gov. David Ige (D) requested the disaster declaration on Wednesday. 

Kilauea, considered one of the world’s most active volcanoes, began erupting on May 3 after scientists observed an uptick in earthquakes around the volcano’s east rift zone. The initial eruptions were followed by two powerful earthquakes and the formation of even more explosive fissures. 

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii Still Safe To Visit

Above, Diamond Head in Honolulu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With Kilauea volcano erupting on the Big Island, people are wondering if Hawaii is safe to visit.

Travel + Leisure says it's still safe.

According to their article:

There may be a volcano eruption but Hawaii is still safe to visit. 

Despite days of eruption from Kilauea volcano, the Hawaii Tourism Authority insists there is “no reason at this time for travelers to change or alter their leisure or business plans.” 

It is only a 10-square mile section of residential housing that has been affected by the lava, according to authorities. Since the lava flow began last week, it has destroyed 35 homes. The volcano is dangerous, but only for those in the evacuation zone.

All flights to and from Kona Airport are operating as usual. Hotels remain open. Businesses and schools have reopened. Limited sections of Volcanoes National Park reopened last week following a two-day closure.

However, as of yesterday, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has been totally closed. Authorities are fearful that Kilauea may have an explosive eruption, so they closed the park as a precaution until further notice.

To read more, go here. 

Hawaii's Active Volcanoes, Where Are They?

Above, lava inside one of Kilauea's vents. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Ever wondered where all of Hawaii's active volcanoes are located?

Well, leave it to The Daily Express (U.K.) to provide the straight skinny on where they are located.

Their article (with maps) begins with:

MOUNT Kilauea continues to wreak havoc on Hawaii’s Big Island, with thousands of people displaced, dozens of homes destroyed and huge swathes of land devoured. But are there any other active volcanoes in Hawaii, and where are they? Here is everything you need to know about the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. 

Hawaii, which is a volcanic archipelago, consists of five volcanoes in total but not all of them are active, as the map below shows. 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established on August 1 1916, and is home to two active volcanoes. 

Mount Kilauea is currently getting most of the attention, as the youngest volcano in the area has proved age is but a number, with 14 fissures opening over the past week. 

Kilauea is thought to be one of the most active volcanoes on earth, if not topping the list. This latest eruption has been underway since 1983.

To view more, go here. 

Most of Big Island Open For Business

Above, a view of the Kona coast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

People who are planning a vacation to Hawaii's Big Island are wondering if it is safe to go there after Kilauea volcano started having major eruptions along with earthquakes this past week.

According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, it is.

They wrote:

The steady stream of tourists to Pahoa had turned into barely a trickle Friday amid news the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii island was erupting and causing major earthquakes. 

As news of the disaster spread, officials moved to assure visitors the danger was limited to a relatively small area of the Big Island and had not affected tourism to other parts of the island or other islands. 

NBC’s “Today” show ran video Friday of hot-pink smoke billowing over Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Other media outlets showed fiery lava coming out of fissures in the Leilani Estates subdivision, whose residents have been forced to evacuate due to hazardous air quality and unstable lava conditions.

“We have heard from people around the world concerned about Hawaii’s welfare and want to reassure everyone that this is limited to a remote region on the slopes of Kilauea volcano. Everywhere else in the Hawaiian Islands is not affected,” Gov. David Ige said in a media statement. 

The Hawaii Tourism Authority issued a message Friday informing visitors that Hawaii island’s resort-heavy west side, where Kona and the Kohala Coast are located, is more than 100 miles from where lava is flowing. HTA said resorts on Oahu and Kauai and in Maui County are even greater distances from Kilauea.

Get the latest Hawaii island updates:

Hawaii County Civil Defense: hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts 

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: hvo.wr.usgs.gov 

Travelers planning a trip to the Hawaiian Islands who have questions should call 1-800-GOHAWAII (1-800-464-2924).

To read more of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser article, go here.

Kilauea Erupts

Above, trees ablaze by lava from Kilauea volcano. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was bound to happen, sooner or later. It just happened sooner. And, it was expected.

Kilauea erupted on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Hawaii News Now reported:

PUNA, BIG ISLAND (HawaiiNewsNow) - Residents in Puna's Leilani Estates subdivision fled with little more than the clothes on their backs Thursday night after an eruption in Kilauea's east rift zone created a fissure in the community, spewing lava into the air as high as utility poles, covering roads and nearing several homes.

Evacuation orders remain in place for the community, home to about 1,700 people, and it's not yet clear when residents will be able to return home. 

Two emergency shelters have been opened for evacuees — one at Pahoa Community and the Keaau Community centers — and a number of families had hunkered down at the facilities for the night.

I flew over Kilauea two years ago with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. It was an interesting experience and one I recommend doing. A ten minute video clip is here.

To read more, go here. 

Possible Kilauea Volcano Eruptions Closes Parts of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Above, a helicopter view of a Kilauea volcanic vent. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Although a national park encourages visitors, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is still an active volcanic area and, on occasion, some parts of the park may be periodically closed to visitors due to threats of eruptions.

Such is the current closures due to the possibility of new eruptions.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported:

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed nearly 16,000 acres on Kilauea Volcano today as the possibility for a new eruption looms over the area and surrounding communities. 

Park management closed 15,688 acres near the volcano’s Puu Oo vent in the East Rift Zone, including the gravel emergency access road from the Kalapana gate to the Chain of Craters Road gate. The land makai of the emergency road is also closed to the ocean.

To read more, go here. 

Earthquakes Giving Yellowstone Area The Jitters

Above, volcanic activity occurs all over Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last Wednesday, a 5.8 earthquake struck the state of Montana, raising fears in some that the super volcano known as Yellowstone National Park is set to blow anytime soon.

According to the U.K.'s Daily Star:

The epicentre of the tremor was just 240 miles away from Yellowstone Park – the site of a dormant supervolcano with destructive potential. 

Panicked residents of Montana feared the worst when the quake struck, with concerns over the stability of the Yellowstone volcano. 

But the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the volcano is not due to erupt anytime soon. 

Nontheless locals were freaking out on Twitter.

A spokesperson for USGS said: “The location and focal mechanism solution of this earthquake are consistent with right-lateral faulting in association with faults of the Lewis and Clark line, a prominent zone of strike-slip, dip slip and oblique slip faulting trending east-southeast from northern Idaho to east of Helena, Montana, southeast of this earthquake.” 

The huge quake came just weeks after a swarm of around 900 smaller earthquakes rocked the region. 

A massive basin of lava that lurks beneath Yellowstone National Park was hit by the flurry of seismic activity in June.

Meanwhile, Montana Public Radio says the seismic activities in the region is no cause for panic.

Yellowstone National Park took to Facebook today to tamp down ongoing speculation that a cataclysmic seismic event is imminent. 

Jeff Hungerford is the park’s chief geologist and volcanologist.

Sitting in front of Mammoth Hot Springs, Hungerford told his Facebook Live audience the Yellowstone region’s recent earthquake swarm is perfectly normal: 

“They can make up about 50-percent of our earthquakes that we have yearly," Hungerford said. "It happens all the time. It’s why we’re here. Yellowstone National Park is a beautiful, wonderful place because it is an active area.”

To read more, go here.

Eruption At Mount Aso

Above, the snow-covered parking lot of Mount Aso's ropeway station in 2007. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Kumamoto area has been rocked by two big earthquakes and aftershocks. Now comes news that something is happening at Mount Aso, which may or may not be related.

The Japan Times reported:

A small eruption occurred at Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture on Saturday around 8:30 a.m. local time following a strong earthquake in the area, with smoke rising about 100 meters (300 feet) high, public broadcaster NHK reported.

I visited Mount Aso in 2007. I couldn't see much as the national park was having a blizzard at the time.

To read more, go here. 

Mount Fuji Evacuation Route Maps Released

Above, a shinkansen view of Mount Fuji. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With the eruptions of different peaks in Japan in recent years in mind, evacuation route maps for Mount Fuji have been released for climbers.

The Asahi Shimbun reported:

SHIZUOKA--Although Mount Fuji has not erupted in 300 years, the sudden eruption of Mount Ontakesan in 2014 has prompted the Shizuoka prefectural government to release maps of evacuation routes for climbers of the World Heritage site. 

Based on past eruptions of Mount Fuji, the “Evacuation route maps” assume six eruption patterns and shows evacuation routes for each. 

The prefectural government plans to make the maps widely available among climbers, who are allowed on Mount Fuji from July to September, through its website and other means. 

The last major eruption of the 3,776-meter peak, which straddles Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures in central Japan, occurred in 1707.

To read more, go here. 

Tourists Evacuated From Mount Aso

Above, the Mt. Aso Museum lobby in 2007. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japanese authorities have said that the eruption of Mount Aso on the island of Kyushu was a surprise.

The alert level for the volcano is now at Level 3, which prohibits entry to the mountain.

According to the Japan Times:

Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture erupted at 9:43 a.m. Monday, sending ash 2,000 meters into the sky and forcing the evacuation of dozens of tourists, the Meteorological Agency said. 

Police and other authorities said about 30 tourists who were near the crater at the time of the eruption were safely evacuated, and the government said there were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties. 

The Meteorological Agency warned any tourists in the area to evacuate quickly.

I visited Mount Aso in 2007 and only had to contend with a spring blizzard.

To read more, go here.