'Ash may soar 50,000 feet...': Mount Spurr rattles Alaska with 55 quakes as scientists warn eruption may be imminent

More than 300,000 Alaskans are bracing for impact as Mount Spurr, an 11,000-foot volcano just 80 miles west of Anchorage, teeters on the edge of eruption. What began as a low hum in early March has now escalated into a chorus of seismic warnings, with scientists ramping up alerts and urging communities nearby to prepare for a potential disaster.

As tremors intensify and gas levels spike, the quiet slopes of Mount Spurr could soon turn volatile, threatening to disrupt daily life across south-central Alaska. Mount Spurr, rising high above the Alaskan landscape, is showing signs that an eruption could be imminent.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported 55 earthquakes around the volcano, including swarms — clusters of quakes hitting in rapid succession. Scientists believe this spike in seismic activity signals magma rising beneath the surface, fracturing rocks as it climbs.

The volcano remains at a yellow advisory level. The AVO’s April 13 update noted: “Unrest continues at Mount Spurr volcano. Seismicity remains elevated with occasional small, shallow volcanic earthquakes detected beneath the volcano over the past day.”

Matt Haney, lead scientist at the AVO, told MailOnline that any eruption could be powerful enough to shoot ash clouds up to 50,000 feet into the air. A single ash-producing event could last four hours, potentially blanketing Anchorage and nearby areas in ash.

The warning signs have been building since April 2024. Earthquakes jumped from around 30 to 125 by October, and the US Geological Survey has logged hundreds of tremors within 30 miles of the volcano — most recently, a 3.7-magnitude quake near Petersville on April 2. Elevated levels of volcanic gases at the summit crater and crater peak vent further point to growing unrest.

While Mount Spurr’s summit crater hasn’t erupted in 5,000 years, its crater peak last blew in 1992. That eruption closed Anchorage’s airport and coated the city in an eighth of an inch of ash.

The remote location of Mount Spurr, accessible only by chartered plane, limits the immediate risk to infrastructure. Still, hikers and tourists are being urged to follow local alerts closely.

In Anchorage, residents are taking the warnings seriously. Some told NPR they’re protecting their homes and gathering supplies, including masks, water jugs, and protective gear. Alaska’s volcano watchlist also includes Great Sitkin and Hawaii’s Kilauea, but for now, all eyes are on Spurr — and what it might do next.