ANCHORAGE (AK) Three isolated volcanoes in Alaska are currently in different states of eruption. One produces lava, the other blows steam and ash.Chris Waythomas, a geologist at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, stated Thursday that so far no small communities have been affected by the volcanoes.On Thursday, webcams clearly displayed episodic low-level Ash emissions from Pavlof Volcano. This prompted the observatory's to raise the volcano's threat level from yellow to orange. It indicates that an eruption is occurring with minor volcanic ash emission.Waythomas stated that ash clouds rose just above the volcano's 8,261-foot (2.518-meter) summit. They drifted about 6 miles (9.7 km) south before dissipating.Waythomas stated that Pavlov is a "very sneaky volcanic." It can start at any moment without warning.He described the peak's magmatic plumbing system as open, which means magmas can move quickly to the surface and it can start erupting without warning.Pavlov, a snow-covered stratovolcano at the southwestern tip of the Alaska Peninsula is located approximately 600 miles (965.6 km) southwest of Anchorage.Cold Bay is located 35 miles (56.33 km) southwest of Pavlov. It is one of Alaska's most active volcanoes.Pavlov last erupted back in 2016, dropping some ash onto Nelson Lagoon.On Thursday, the observatory received reports from Adak residents about a lava fountain on the summit of Great Sitkin's volcano. These reports were later confirmed via webcam.Waythomas stated that the fact that they happened to see it outside was truly amazing.He stated that if activity increases Adak could see ashfall from Great Sitkin located on an island approximately 27 miles (43.45 km) away.Great Sitkin is not used to this lava fountain, however, it was quite passive at this point.Great Sitkin is a stratovolcano that has a caldera, dome and is located approximately 1,150 miles (1.851 kilometers) southwest Anchorage.Waythomas stated that Semisopochnoi Volcano is located 150 miles (241 kilometers) from the Aleutian Islands on an uninhabited island. It has been intermittently erupting and produced an ash cloud on Wednesday reaching approximately 10,000 feet (3,048 metres) in the air.
