- KVERT (Kamchatka Volcano Eruption Response Team)
- Tokyo VAAC advisories and, for Kluchevskoy, Anchorage VAAC
This apparently is real, not hype. Per TASS (Russian) via Google translation — links added:
The powerful earthquake that occurred in Kamchatka on July 30 increased the activity of volcanoes. The seismic event gave additional energy to magmatic centers, Alexey Ozerov, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Director of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told journalists.
We are witnessing quite extreme events in Kamchatka. On July 20, there was an earthquake in Avacha Bay, then on July 30, another earthquake, which was powerful and felt at a magnitude of 6-7. Almost simultaneously with this, the activity of volcanoes increased significantly. We associate the eruptions with the last earthquake, which activated magmatic centers, “pumped” additional energy into them,” Ozerov said.
According to him, Avachinsky volcano was the first to show signs of activation – steam and gas emissions with a small amount of ash rose above its crater to a height of up to 300 m. These emissions are dangerous for tourists who traditionally climb Avachinsky volcano. Employees of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences immediately began studying this activity, and in the coming days, as soon as weather conditions allow, they will climb the volcano for a more complete survey.
The next to react was the Klyuchevskoy volcano, which was in a state of eruption, bombs were thrown out of its crater to a height of about 200 m, there were small ash emissions. “On July 30, an ash column up to 6 km high was formed, a lava flow began to pour out onto the slope. On July 30, the length of the flow was 1.5 km, on August 3, its length is almost 3.5 km. This is a dangerous phenomenon, since the flow is moving down in the direction of the Bogdanovich glacier,” the scientist explained, adding that the glacier will melt, a large amount of water will go along the Studenaya River, mudflows will block the federal highway on the Kozyrevsk-Klyuchi-Ust-Kamchatsk section. In addition, tourists who are currently on the Tolbachik volcano may be cut off.
Krasheninnikov Volcano, which had been silent since about 1400, became active on August 3. “The eruption began from the summit crater, and at the same time a crack opened up along the volcano, from which steam and gas emissions are currently coming. During the opening of the crack, a large amount of ash was ejected from the summit crater,” Ozerov said.
According to residents of the village of Ozernaya, a powerful rumble and rumblings are occasionally heard from the Kambalny volcano. There is a high probability that this volcano has also entered the eruption stage under the influence of seismic events on July 30. Ozerov noted the danger of being in areas subject to eruptions and recommended that residents and visitors of the peninsula refrain from visiting active volcanoes and adjacent areas. In addition, the situation is currently dangerous for aviation.
That’s a 3-day-old story, but a more or less intact version of it is starting to spread in English-language media now (forget the TASS English version: it can’t even get Krasheninnikov and Klyuchevskoy, which is Eurasia’s highest active volcano and over 200 km away from Krasheninnikov, straight).
And it is a dangerous situation. For instance, Avachinsky is close to Petropavlovsk, and if that glacier on Klyuchevskoy melts it could cause a huge lahar/mudflow in a populated area, though not densely populated, in addition to the other issues reported.
I added links to each volcano’s Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program (GVP) page because, if this develops, they are the best source of English-language updates, though I think those only come out weekly and monthly. None is updated yet, but they can get KVERT’s reports (I hope), even if we nonspecialists can’t get through to that website.
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The above is at Talkweather, too. There is a blog post on Krasheninnikov, but when updates become available on Kamchatka, I’ll post them all here.
Updates:
August 13, 2025, 3:46 a.m., Pacific: As of August 12th, KVERT has reduced Kkyuchevskoy’s aviation code back down to Orange. Eruptions there and at Krasheninnikov continue, they note.
Of course, a few other volcanoes carry on, too. This layperson is surprised that frequent-erupter Sheveluch didn’t react to the megathrust quake as its also-hyperactive neighbor Kkyuchevskoy did.
August 11, 2025, 8:06 a.m., Pacific: No major changes are reported but activity is not decreasing much at either Krasheninnikov or Klyuchevskoy.
Here’s an excerpt from KVERT’s August 11 VONA on Klyuchevskoy, which sounds as though it is still hyperactive:
Activity Summary: A summit explosive-effusive eruption of the volcano continues. Activity of the volcano remains high. Satellite data by KVERT showed explosions sent ash up to 8-9 km a.s.l., and ash plume is extending for 1114 km to the east of the volcano. A move of lava flows and ash emission from summit crater of the volcano continues.
A summit explosive-effusive eruption of the volcano continues. Ash explosions up to 15 km (49,200 ft) a.s.l. could occur at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft…
The current VAAC advisory identifies ash at 40,000 feet.
A glacier reportedly is melting and several days ago there was news of a dam failure near Klyuchevskoy (no mention of damage or injuries but concerns were expressed that tourists in the Tolbachik area might be stranded if more flooding occurred). Thus far I have found no more online news about mudflows (lahars), etc.
August 7, 2025, 1:40 a.m., Pacific: It looks as though Klyuchevskoy is the biggest problem right now. Tokyo VAAC has issued multiple advisories today, and the current one reports ash at 40,000 feet.
The last I heard, there was violent strombolian fountaining at the summit. How I miss the KVERT Wwebcams! Just found their new site.
According to TASS (Russian), KVERT says this could pose a threat to international aviation. Also, they expect the activity to intensify.
Here is the current GVP report:
Most Recent Weekly Report: 30 July-5 August 2025
The Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) reported that eruptive activity at Klyuchevskoy’s summit crater continued during 30 July-5 August. Satellite data showed a strong thermal anomaly at the volcano all week. Since 30 July a lava flow has been moving down the WSW flank, accompanied by phreatic explosions. Satellite data at 2315 on 1 August showed an ash plume extending for 150 km to the SE. Ash seen in satellite imagery at 0613 on 2 August was rising up to 7-8 km (23,000-26,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifting 50 km E. Additional satellite data from 4 August at 0432 showed ash reaching up to 7.5 km (24,600 ft) a.s.l. and extending for 50 km to the NE. Two lava flows were reported on 4 August effusing down the W and SE flanks, with ash rising up to 7 km (23,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifting for 600 km to the SE. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale). Dates and times are provided in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); specific events are indicated in local time where specified.
Per TASS tiday, the aviation code is now Red.
Featured image: Stuart Rankin, CC BY-NC 2.0
Flight To Wonder 