Alaska volcano observers say signs of unrest at Mount Spurr have declined to the point where “the chances of an eruption in the near-term are now considered extremely low.”
Spurr, the closest active volcano to the state’s largest population center, began to exhibit signs of a likely eruption in March, when officials with the Alaska Volcano Observatory noticed an increase in volcanic gases emitting from the volcano and an uptick in earthquake activity at the base. At the time, scientists estimated an eruption could occur “within the next few weeks or months.”
“Of course after we said that, you know, the volcano had a different plan for us,” said Dave Schneider, a research geophysicist with the Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage.
Schneider said magma actually started moving around beneath Spurr in spring of 2024, eventually leading to the gas emissions scientists observed a year later. But a steady decline in small quakes, gas emissions and melting ice since March have scientists confident that the magma flow has stopped.
“There just wasn't enough supply to really push it up to the surface," Schneider said. "At the time, you know, everything was pointing up. And since that time, things have stalled. And now we're seeing a volcano that looks like it's going back to sleep.”
On Wednesday, observers moved the alert level on Spurr from the yellow “advisory” status to a green “normal” status.
Spurr is the closest active volcano to the state’s largest population center and the announcement that it’s settled down comes after months of uncertainty. Large communities like Anchorage, and smaller villages like Tyonek — only 40 miles from Spurr — prepared for potential impacts from ashfall, including concerns over ash cleanup, aviation safety and potential respiratory issues.
Schneider says it was heartening to see local governments working together to plan for the worst.
“I think that this has been a good learning experience on preparedness for a lot of people that we do live in a place that's geologically and meteorologically active," Schneider said. "I mean, Alaska is not for wimps.”
And for residents who went out and bought things like air filters and N-95 masks, Schneider said they’re good to hold onto in the event of another potential eruption, or could be used for other purposes. That even includes the dog goggles.
“If you're recreating in places where there's a lot of wind blown silt, like in the Matanuska Valley, I mean, you know, that's not good for your dog's eyes either," Schneider said. "So I look forward to seeing some very stylish dogs, and I'll stop and talk to each one of them, because that's what I do.”
Though chances of an eruption are extremely low, officials say that hazardous amounts of carbon dioxide may be emitting from Crater Peak, an opening about two miles away from Spurr, and could pose a risk to people recreating nearby. However, the risk does not extend to nearby communities.
