Page 104 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Geotourism and Public Safety in Volcanic Environments 81

Figure 5.1 Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: German tourists beyond boundary line to see lava flows from up close

high-altitude winds. More than 80 commercial Deaths caused directly by lava flows are uncommon
aircraft have unexpectedly encountered volcanic because most lava flows move slowly. However,
ash during flight and at airports over the past 15 tourist fatalities from direct contact with lava flows
years causing considerable damage to jet engines have been recorded in Hawai‘i (Heggie and
and infiltrating the air-filter systems of plane Heggie, 2004; Heggie, 2005). Most of these
cabins (Casadevall, 1994; USGS, 2009b). fatalities were the result of tourists falling into
Incidentally, even volcanic fumes with the absence active lava and falling on cooling lava (Heggie,
of tephra and ash are known to be immediately 2005).
corrosive to the engines of tour helicopters and Another threat related to lava flows exists
aircraft in Hawai‘i, resulting in a restriction of when cooled lava flows are utilized for recreational
engine air intake and a high number of crashes purposes such as hiking or when tourists trek over
and emergency landings (Heggie, 2005). cooled lava flows in an attempt to view active lava
flows. Severe burns, lacerations, scrapes and
Lava flows abrasions, and muscle strains and sprains from
Lava flows consist of molten rock expelled by hiking the difficult terrain have been documented
volcanoes (Figure 5.1). Lava flows are extremely (Heggie and Heggie, 2004; Hawaiian Volcano
o
hot (700–1200 C when first expelled) and can Observatory, 2003).
flow long distances before cooling. Lava flows also
destroy everything in their path (Kervyn et al, Volcanic landslides and mudflows
2008; Chirico et al, 2009). For example, lava flows Volcanic landslides, mudflows and pyroclastic
are known to have destroyed or caused serious flows are among some of the most potentially
damage to international airports and tourist hazardous volcanic processes threatening tourists.
facilities in Africa and Italy (Behnke and Neri, A volcanic landslide, also called a debris avalanche,
2003; Clocchiatti et al, 2004; Kervyn et al, 2008). refers to the rapid down-slope movement of rock,

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