As scientists monitor unrest at Mount Spurr, the closest community to the volcano is preparing residents for potential ashfall.
The Native Village of Tyonek is about 40 miles east of Spurr and home to roughly 150 people. Tribal administrator Crystal Standifer said the tribe has put up flyers around town highlighting precautions for ashfall. She said community members have had mixed reactions to the news of a potential eruption.
“Of the people that haven't been through one yet, there's a little bit more, I want to say fear, but you know, wanting to know what to expect,” Standifer said. “The ones that have been through it a few times, they're just kind of brushing it off like it's not a big deal. They've had ash cover in the past.”
Alaska volcano researchers currently have Spurr at a yellow advisory level, indicating that an eruption is possible. However, they recently said the chances are less likely than they initially believed in mid-March.
Still, Tyonek is preparing — just in case. With help from the local village corporation and the Tebughna Foundation, Standifer said the tribe assembled care packages for community members that include masks, goggles, water buckets, sealing tape and battery-powered lanterns.
“Our older bracket of children came over,” Standifer said. “They helped assemble the packages and then distribute them door to door.”
Standifer said an eruption could also disrupt air traffic. Tyonek is off the road system and relies on small Cessna planes for groceries and travel, but Standifer said most community members are accustomed to the challenge.
“During winter time, it's not uncommon for us to go a week or more without a plane,” Standifer said. “And we don't have access to that outside road system for stuff, so we're all generally pretty good at being prepared.”
In the most recent update from the Alaska Volcano Observatory on Friday, researchers say there have been small, frequent earthquakes near Spurr in recent days, but there have been no changes indicating that it’s moving closer to an eruption.
