A Volcano Appears to be Threatening Idaho and Washington

Older Folks Remember May 1980

I remember some of my coworkers sharing their memories of Mount St. Helens blowing its stack 45 years ago.  One lived in Washington State at the time, another in southern Idaho.  Both told stories about the surreal experience of darkness for days and ash in the streets.  Ash you don’t want to breathe in.

Last week I saw stories about two volcanoes that are showing signs of life.  One is in Alaska and relatively close to Anchorage, the state’s most populous city.  The other is near Yakima, Washington, and the region is heavily populated compared to the area around St. Helens.

What Are the Odds They Go Boom?

Are they going to pop?  Probably at some point.  Are they going to blow soon?  Probably not, but recent seismic activity has drawn the attention of scientists.

Much like in 1980, if we started seeing more frantic rumbling, then the media coverage would become intense, and it could better help the neighboring public prepare.  But unless you want to move to Maine and brave coastal storms, this is a cross we carry in this corner of the country.

Can Science Save the Day?

I can’t find it online, but I remember seeing a commercial when I was a boy about scientists working on plans to prevent or lessen the impact of earthquakes.  It involved massive injections into the earth.  Like adding some padding.  It was a project far beyond our ability to scale its affordability.  Because I haven’t heard a thing about it over the last 50 years.

Maybe in the future, we’ll have a Star Trek scenario where a missile is fired into a volcano and silences the beast, but for now, that’s fiction, and who knows, would it cause other problems?  Earth moves.  We’re just passengers.

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