Fire and Fury: 20 Images of Volcanic Eruptions

History March 27, 2025

Volcanic eruptions rank as some of the most powerful and also genuinely awe-inspiring natural disasters on Earth. They’re able to unleash literal rivers of molten lava as well as ash clouds that can blot out the sky. And then you have the aftermath that is just haunting at its core. We’ll now take a look at 20 images that capture parts of just how intense volcanic eruptions can end up being.

1. Maybe the coolest ever Ford Pinto near the Mount St. Helens eruption (1980)

A red car and a motorcycle are parked on a dirt road surrounded by tall trees, with a dramatic volcanic eruption and thick plume of smoke billowing in the background.
jlegarr

That poor classic car never stood a fighting chance.

2. Mt. Vesuvius spewing ash into the sky, erupting as a U.S. Army jeep speeds by shortly after the arrival of the Allied forces in Naples, Italy

Black and white image of a road with vehicles driving, while a volcano in the background erupts, emitting a large plume of smoke and ash into the sky. Sparse trees and buildings line the road, and the scene appears windy and desolate.
beenintime

Time to push the pedal to the metal, big time.

3. American GIs watch smoke billow from Mt. Vesuvius, Italy, 24 March, 1944

Soldiers in uniform stand on rocky terrain, observing the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Smoke and ash billow into the blue sky. Ruins and debris are scattered around the area, with a partial view of a damaged building on the right.
jsutneedsomehelp19

What a terrifying sight to behold.

4. Hiker watching the Mt. St Helens eruption. May 18th, 1980

A person with a red backpack and ice axe stands on snowy terrain, observing a distant volcanic eruption spewing ash into the sky, followed by the person kneeling, possibly in awe or for a better view, as the ash cloud expands.

Yeah, that’ll knock you clean off the soles of your boots, no problem.

5. American soldiers watch the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, 1944

A group of people in coats watch a massive volcanic eruption with towering smoke and ash plumes. A vintage military jeep and an overturned vehicle are visible in the foreground. The sky is blue, suggesting daylight.
deleted

Yeah, that sight of horrors would stop me in my tracks as well.

6. Mt. Vesuvius in its worst eruption in 72 years

Black and white photo showing Mount Vesuvius erupting, with a large plume of smoke and ash rising into the sky. The foreground features a cityscape with numerous buildings under a cloudy sky.
kapitankurt

Talk about a mortifying doomsday vibe.

7. Eruption of Sakurajima volcano, the most powerful in twentieth-century Japan, with Kagoshima, Japan in foreground, 1914

A historic black and white photo shows a massive volcanic eruption with clouds of ash towering over a town below. Buildings are densely packed, and a ship can be seen near the water, highlighting the scale of the eruption.
notbob1959

This one’s right out of a movie.

8. This is from June 1980, after the main eruption of Mt. St. Helens

A massive eruption cloud towers into the sky, with a huge plume of ash billowing above a clear landscape. A stretch of golden grass and a line of trees are visible in the foreground, contrasting with the bright blue sky.
andrewallenreynolds

Things certainly went from 0 to 100 that day.

9. Soufrière Hills volcano erupting, Montserrat 1995

Massive eruption of a volcano with a towering, dense plume of ash and smoke rising into the sky. Lush green landscape in the foreground contrasts with the chaotic volcanic activity. Bright blue sky partly visible behind the ash cloud.
bevorsseg

Now that’s about to be a fiery day on the hills.

10. Irazú volcano eruption, Cartago, Costa Rica, 1964

Black and white image of cows grazing in a field with a large volcanic eruption in the background. A massive plume of ash and smoke rises into the sky, creating a dramatic contrast with the peaceful scene of the cows in the foreground.
anonymous

The cattle as they usually do, seem utterly unperturbed.

11. 1943 Eruption of Mexican Volcano Parícutin

A person wearing a red scarf and plaid blanket looks at a volcano erupting, with a large plume of smoke rising into the blue sky. The landscape around is rocky and barren, set against a backdrop of hills.

Yeah, I’d pause over that sight, too.

12. Italian children watch as Mount Vesuvius erupts near their home in Italy on 21, March, 1944

People observe a structure with a wooden frame and volcanic rocks, emitting smoke, on a rough terrain. Surrounding hills are covered with vegetation. The scene appears to capture a geothermal site or volcanic activity.
ryansmith

Those kids need to get a move on and get out of there as soon as possible.

13. The 1973 volcano eruption in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland

A small church stands in the foreground under a dark sky, with a volcanic eruption in the background. Bright lava and ash illuminate the scene in fiery orange and red hues, creating a dramatic contrast with the snowy landscape.
thoralurbjornsonn

It does almost give off an eerie festive vibe.

14. Nighttime eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, 1944

A black and white photo shows a cityscape at night with a lightning storm illuminating the sky. The city lights are visible below, with structures silhouetted in the foreground.
jots_

The nighttime eruptions can really end up being quite theatrical indeed.

15. The volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington, May 18, 1980

Aerial view of a volcanic eruption with a massive column of ash rising into the sky. Below, clouds partially obscure the rugged, ash-covered landscape of the volcano. The scene is dramatic, showing the power of the eruption against a blue sky.
lovelifelivehappy

One of those volcanic eruptions that just goes down in history. No other way to put it.

16. Another shot of Mount St. Helen’s erupting in Washington State, July 22, 1980

A massive plume of ash and smoke erupts from the summit of a volcano against a cloudy sky, with the volcano's rugged, gray surface visible below.
rockystl

The sheer force of that eruption is near impossible to imagine too.

17. Eruption of Mt. Sakurajima, Japan (1914)

A historical black and white photo depicts several people rowing a boat away from a massive volcanic eruption. The volcano spews thick clouds of ash and smoke into the sky, with a mountainous landscape in the background.
redditplac

Everyone has every right to be trying to get out of there as soon as possible.

18. Destroyed houses in the suburbs of Naples, Italy, during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius during World War 2, March 1944

Black and white photo of a well-defined volcano erupting, releasing a thick plume of ash into the sky. In the foreground, there are damaged buildings with visible lava rock around them.
deleted

Far too many homes have been lost at the fiery hands of volcanic eruptions.

19. A covered in volcanic ashes B-25, after an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius destroyed 90 planes

A weathered, abandoned bomber aircraft is shown from the rear, its structure damaged and wings deteriorating. In the background, a volcano releases a plume of smoke, contrasting with the barren landscape.

Those B-25 planes took some serious hits.

20. Philippines, Mount Pinatubo at daybreak on June 15, 1991

A massive volcanic eruption emits thick plumes of ash and smoke into the sky, obscuring much of the horizon. A flat expanse of land lies in the foreground, with a timestamp reading 6:01 10 in the lower right corner.
anonymous

Nobody wants to spot a volcanic eruption at daybreak.

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