Mount Yasur, Active volcano on Tanna Island, Vanuatu
Mount Yasur is an active volcano on Tanna Island in Vanuatu, rising 361 meters above sea level with a round summit crater measuring 400 meters across and containing several active vents. The interior of the crater is accessible and displays glowing lava and rising gas clouds throughout the day and night.
Captain James Cook documented the volcano for the first time in 1774 when he saw the glowing fire and ongoing eruptions from his ship. Since then the mountain has shown fiery activity without interruption and counts among the permanently active fire mountains of the world.
Local people see the volcano as home to Jon Frum, a figure who became the center of religious belief during the 20th century. Many residents of Tanna still treat the smoking summit as a holy site and visit it for special occasions.
The Vanuatu Geo-Hazards Observatory operates a five-level alert system that informs about current danger and helps decide whether a visit is safe. Conditions can change quickly, so check the current status before heading to the summit.
The fire mountain erupts roughly every few minutes and throws glowing rocks and ash into the air. The International Union of Geological Sciences recognized it as one of 100 geological heritage sites on Earth.
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