Welcome

Alice Edwards, Director
(907) 465-5105

DEC urges the public to be prepared in the event of an ashfall. The Volcano Preparedness website (from the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management) provides very useful information including volcanic ash health risks, maintenance of vehicles, and ash clean-up.

All residents of areas where there is ash fall are at risk of breathing volcanic dust or getting ash in their eyes. Short-term breathing of volcanic ash is not known to pose a significant health hazard for healthy individuals. However, exposure to ash can make breathing difficult for infants, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments. People with existing respiratory conditions, such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma, are more at risk for developing acute respiratory symptoms from breathing volcanic ash. Getting ash in the eyes can cause immediate irritation.

Simple precautions to limit exposure by using a paper dust mask or cloth scarf when outside offer very effective protection for most people.

Quick Links

• Air Quality Advisories
• EPA Air Quality Index Code
• National Weather Service SIGMET for Pavlof Volcano

• Dept. of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Volcano Facts
• Health Effects Associated with Volcanic Eruptions - AK DHSS
• Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
  • AVO Summary of Volcanoes with Elevated Level-of-Concern Color Codes
  • AVO Current Status Report (updated daily)
• Volcanoes with elevated Level-of-Concern, during or after 2005:
  • Mt. Augustine (2005)
  • Cleveland Volcano (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
  • Fourpeaked Volcano (2006)
  • Iliamna Volcano (2012)
  • Little Sitkin Volcano (2012)
  • Kanaga Volcano (2012)
  • Kasatochi Volcano (2008)
  • Korovin Volcano (2005, 2006)
  • Okmok Volcano (2008)
  • Pavlof Volcano (2007, 2013)
  • Redoubt Volcano (2009)
  • Shishaldin Volcano (2008)
  • Mt. Veniaminof (2005, 2006, 2008)
• AVO - Expanded Monitoring of Volcanoes Yields Results
• Can Another Great Volcanic Eruption Happen in Alaska?

Air Quality Programs

• Air Non-point Mobile Source
• Air Permit Program
• Monitoring and Quality Assurance

Of Interest

• Volcanic Ash...What it can do and How to prevent damage
• Volcanic Ash Fall - A Hard Rain of Abrasive Particles
• Volcanic Ash - Danger to Aircraft in the North Pacific
• Volcano Emergency Prepardness and Response - CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Volcanic Hazard - Tephra
• 1989-90 Mt. Redoubt eruption and lahar detection

Click on the AVO map below to see a full-sized map of Alaskan volcanoes.

Click here for AVO's interactive map.