Volcanoes have shaped Iceland’s landscapes for at least 16,000,000 years! The hexagonal cliffs, black sand beaches, and ancient lava caves are all evidence of explosive volcanic activity. When visiting Iceland, you’ll find vast lava fields where astronauts train for a trip to the moon, and you’ll soak in natural hot springs that are heated by magma running close to the earth’s surface.

You will hike up extinct volcanoes and admire the crystal blue waters of the lakes that have made themselves at home in some of the old craters. 

So, like it or not, your vacation in Iceland will be affected by volcanic activity. This article will tell you about 7 of the most important eruptions in Iceland’s history, as well as giving you some general advice about staying safe in volcanic areas. 

We hope you find it helpful!

The List: 7 Important Eruptions in Iceland

Fagradalsfjall 

You’ve probably heard of the recent eruption of Fagradalsfjall, which started in March 2021. Hundreds of thousands of people travelled to see the lava spill into the valleys of Geldingadalur. Scientists studying the eruption famously cooked their sausages on the sizzling volcanic rock. Sadly, you won’t be eating volcano sausage at Fagradalsfjall any time soon because the eruption was officially declared over in December 2021.

It may seem a little strange to think of scientists frying sausages as thousands of tourists take selfies in front of an active eruption, but nobody was hurt or killed by this volcanic event. Luckily, it was an effusive eruption, which means that the lava flowed out gently from a fissure rather than suddenly exploding. It was triggered by over 50,000 earthquake tremors in the area.

All the same, some people did get far too close to the lava, without wearing protection like a mask for dangerous fumes. So, if you’re thinking of checking out a volcano in Iceland, make sure you read what we have to say about safety near the end of this article.

Bardarbunga

Before the 2021 eruption at Fagradalsfjall, the most recent eruption that got people talking was Bardarbunga. Just like at Fagradalsfjall, this was a gentle eruption in the grand scheme of things. It started in August of 2014 and ended in February of 2015. Eleven million tonnes of sulphur dioxide came tumbling into the atmosphere, which caused a spike in respiratory problems like asthma and bronchitis. But thankfully, the health impacts were short-lived and limited for local people.

Bardarbunga is under an ancient glacier in Vatnajakoll national park, so it didn’t happen too close to a settlement. Thanks to that, no deaths were recorded following the 2014/15 eruption. But if we look back through history, things could have been much worse!

The same volcano erupted in 1783-84, with far more force. It released ten times more sulphur dioxide back them (around 110 million tonnes), and even as far as England, there was a considerable spike in deaths. Perhaps not surprisingly, this was mostly due to respiratory problems. 

Eyjafjallajokull 

The 2010 eruption at Eyjafjallajokull was a nightmare for the air travel industry. Around 10 million people had their flights cancelled or delayed as 20 countries closed their air space!

In fact, Eyjafjallajokull caused the most air travel disruption since World War 2! The eruption officially started in April 2010 and was declared over in October 2010. But the volcano wasn’t showing any activity from June 2010; seismologists have to play it on the same side when they announce a volcano is dormant!

As well as flight disruptions, local farmers were, of course, affected by the ash and darkness. But no human lives were lost as a direct result of the eruption.

Grimsvotn 

For better or worse, Grímsvötn is known as Iceland’s most active volcano. Like Bardarbunga, this is a subglacial volcano, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect the world above the ice! In 2011, a vast eruption pierced through the glacier and spewed ash into the Icelandic skies. The volcanic plume reached 20km into the air, and Iceland’s airports had to close down. Many British flights were also cancelled, followed by closures in some of Germany’s airports. Denmark and Greenland also had to close their airspace shortly.

But overall, Iceland got off lightly. Although there was some property damage, mostly due to the falling ash, no human deaths have been directly attributed to this eruption. According to Volcano seismologists, we should be ready for another eruption at Grímsvötn imminently. It’s hard to say exactly when it’s coming, but it won’t be long!

Eldfell 

Eldfell is a volcano on the island of Heimaey, 4 miles off the South Coast of Iceland. It is the largest and most populated of the Westman Islands, a collection of 15 beautiful islands that are home to the world’s largest population of breeding puffins in the summer months.

But the peace and quiet of Heimaey were temporarily interrupted back in 1973 when Eldfell volcano erupted in the middle of Heimaey town. It all happened very suddenly, and it was the first time a volcano had erupted on the islands for a good 5000 years.

Amazingly, the townspeople were prepared for such an eventuality. Nearly all the residents (over 5000 of them!) were evacuated from the island and on Iceland mainland within hours. Damage was significant. One person died, hundreds of buildings were destroyed, and farmland was poisoned. This meant that the livestock had to be killed and disposed of because it was no longer safe for people to eat.

The harbour was saved by pumping cool seawater onto the approaching lava, so people would have their fishing jobs to come back to. All the same, many people never returned to the island whatsoever. The population of Heimaey has recovered well by now, with about 4500 people living there.

Askja

Askja volcano is tucked away in the remote central highlands of Iceland, which you can only reach for a few months during the year. Nonetheless, an 1875 eruption at Askja had devastating effects on the Icelandic people and contributed to a mass migration away from the country. This was mainly due to poisoning of farmland and livestock rather than direct human loss of life. Still, it was yet another challenge that Icelanders had to deal with in an already unforgiving climate.

Some people now swim in the hot lake that formed at Viti during the eruption. It’s a serious expedition to get there, and you wouldn’t want to do it without a guide. But if you’re with an expert who can show you the way, it’s a pretty awesome experience.

Laki/Skaftáreldar

But all those eruptions look like child’s play compared to the Laki eruption that took place for around eight months between 1783 and 1784. Laki is one of the largest volcanic eruptions that the world has known, and it dramatically changed the climate in the years following the eruption.

Around half of the livestock in Iceland died, and nearly all the crops were wiped out. This led to widespread starvation and sickness in the human population. Almost 70% of people on Iceland died in the years of crop failures and farming difficulty following the eruption. Not everyone died in the immediate aftermath. But as more and more livestock were poisoned by the grass they were eating, life in Iceland became unthinkably hard.

Crop failures weren’t only happening in Iceland, though. Over a hundred million tonnes of sulfur dioxide was released by the Laki eruption, which wiped crops throughout Europe and possibly beyond. Some historians think that the increased poverty and hunger throughout Europe contributed to the French Revolution. So this eruption had enormous consequences for people in the past and even affects how we live today. 

Visiting An Eruption – Health, Safety, and Common Sense!

If you find out that a volcano is erupting while you’re in Iceland, do not rush to go and see it if you don’t know what you’re doing. Eruptions can act in surprising ways, and you may not realise you’re putting yourself in danger. Ideally, you’re going to want to find a guide who can take you as close as safety allows.

Remember that the fumes coming off the lava can be deadly, so you shouldn’t be exploring an active volcanic site without a suitable mask. (Even if other people seem to be getting right up to the lava flow without a mask, that doesn’t mean they know what they are doing!)

Do listen to any official warnings to stay out of the area because they are there for your safety. Once the authorities are sure the eruption site isn’t going to maim or kill you, they will probably open the area to locals and tourists alike. But it’s better to bide your time than risk getting hurt!

Volcanoes and Flooding

It’s also worth bearing in mind that volcanoes can melt glaciers and cause sudden flooding, even far away from where they are erupting. You’ll probably notice there aren’t many big towns or cities on Iceland’s South Coast, and that’s largely because volcanic areas to the North mean the risk of flooding is too great.

The early settlers were wise to that even before they had modern technology to help them out, and the same caution is applied now to avoid loss of life and damage to infrastructure.

Predicting Volcanoes

Volcanoes very rarely kill or injure anyone in Iceland these days. Seismic stations are strategically placed all around the country, so scientists can make accurate predictions about the volcanic activity with enough time to evacuate high-risk areas.

The earliest warning authorities typically get that an eruption is imminent is around 2 hours. But usually, Volcano seismologists pick up on the signs much earlier than that, alerting the public and authorities some weeks in advance. They watch out for tremors and changes to the earth’s surface that suggest that magma is building up and ready to blow.

Geothermal Energy

Over the years, Icelandic people have learned to use volcanic activity to their advantage. According to the National Energy Authority, geothermal energy accounts for 66% of Iceland’s primary energy use. We use this energy to heat water for our homes and even heat greenhouses to make growing crops more efficient in a challenging climate.

FAQs

How many volcanoes are active in Iceland?

The number of active volcanoes in Iceland changes along with the volcanic activity. At the moment, around 30 active volcano systems in the country. There are no active volcanoes in the Westfjords regions.

Why are there so many volcanoes in Iceland?

Iceland has 130 volcanoes, which is pretty impressive for such a small country. It has so much volcanic activity because it lies above two tectonic plates. The heat from deep below the earth can escape between these plates and erupt at the surface. 

We hope you found this article about Icelandic eruptions helpful! Don’t hesitate to explore the Play Iceland site for more travel tips and some hand-picked travel tours. We look forward to welcoming you to Iceland soon.