As we close AAPG’s GeoLifestyle newsletters for 2025, we’ll go out with a Bang. Let’s explore some of the year’s most newsworthy volcanic eruptions, nature’s own fireworks. 🌋🎆
Sharon Lyon
Editor, GeoLifestyle
Mt. Etna, Sicily
AmyMeiPhotography/Shutterstock.com
Mt. Etna is a large, active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. It rises over 10,800 feet above sea level. From its summit, there are stunning views over the Catania plain and the Ionian Sea.
Volcanism in action: On June 2, 2025, Mt. Etna produced a dramatic explosion, with a gas and ash column rising 21,000 feet above sea level, and lava fountaining from its southeast crater.
A pyroclastic flow came down the uninhabited Valle del Leone/Valle del Bove areas.
Tourists scrambled off the mountain, and aviation alerts disrupted air traffic.
Although intense, no immediate danger was reported from the eruption to populated areas; the main hazard zone remained near the summit.
Why it matters: Although local residents are accustomed to Mt. Edna’s frequent activity, the June event was a reminder of the need for vigilance.
Area geology: Mt. Etna has been active for the last 2.6 million years, since the end of the Neogene.
The volcano has multiple eruptive centers, with many subsidiary cones formed along lateral fissures extending down its flanks.
The volcanism is associated with the subduction of the Adriatic microplate beneath the African/Eurasian plates, along with mantle plume activity, resulting in a variety of eruption styles, with lava flows and Strombolian explosions.
Trip tips:
Take a guided tour from Catania, Taormina, or Giardini Naxos.
For the classic route on the south side, take a bus to Rifugio Sapienza, then the cable car up to 2,500 meters.
Jeep tours are available for rugged terrain.
You can only go to the summit with a certified guide.
To hike: Wear boots, as the trails can be treacherous, with sharp, loose rocks underfoot. Expect thin air and cooler temperatures, so bring clothes to layer and wear a windproof jacket.
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The Hayli Gubbi volcano is located in theAfar region of Ethiopia, 500 miles northeast of Addis Ababa. The volcano erupted on November 23, 2025—its first documented eruption.
The volcano produced a gas-and-ash plume reaching up to 45,000 feet. Ash spread across the Red Sea, moved over Yemen and Oman, and blanketed parts of Pakistan and northern India. Air traffic was disrupted.
The eruption was heard more than 100 miles away, and shock waves were felt in Djibouti.
The neighboring village of Afdera was covered in ash, and tourists heading into the Danakil Desert were stranded.
Area geology: Hayli Gubbi sits within the Afar Rift, one of Earth’s most geologically active zones.
The Afar Rift marks the junction of three tectonic plates — the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates. It is part of the broader East African Rift System, where Africa is slowly splitting apart, causing frequent earthquakes and eruptions.
Recent volcanic activity in the Afar Rift includes the July eruption of Erta Ale, seven miles from Hayli Gubbi.
Both volcanoes are within the Danakil Depression, a region known for extreme heat and colorful acidic landscapes formed by chemical reactions.
Why it matters: The event generated attention since the volcano had not erupted in recorded history. However, the region’s remote nature means eruptions often go undocumented.
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Throughout 2025, Kilauea’s volcano has been erupting episodically from theHalemaʻumaʻu crater, a circular pit within the much larger Kilauea caldera.
According to traditional Hawaiian religion, Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes, resides in the Halemaʻumaʻu crater. It is her body and her home. This year, she has made herself known!
Because of its spectacular lava fountains, I’ve chosen Kilauea as #1 on AAPG’s “Travel Guide: The Top 5 Unexpected Geological Must-Sees in the United States in 2025.”
Lava fountains: As I write this, during episode 38 of the continuingHalemaʻumaʻu eruption, lava fountains are spewing up to 12,000 feet high into the air, incinerating one of the USGS cameras.
Area geology: Kilauea is located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and is one of the six active volcanoes in the state of Hawaii, including Mauna Loa, Hualalai, Mauna Kea, Kama‘ehuakanaloa (formerly Lō‘ihi Seamount), and Haleakalā on Maui.
The shield volcano, located above the Hawaiian hotspot, is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old, emerging above sea level between 50,000 to 100,000 years ago. Although much of the volcano is underwater, it has a subaerial extent of 580 square miles.
Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and the world’s hottest lava comes from here, with average temperatures of around 1,100 degrees Celsius (2,012-degrees Fahrenheit). The mafic lava cools to form both pahoehoe and aa textures, depending on temperature and viscosity.
Trip tips:
Two main roads—Crater Rim Road and Chain of Craters Road—transect the park.
The Kilauea Visitor Center, located near the park’s entrance, has information on any closings due to the eruption.
Parking is currently at a premium, so plan to arrive early.
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