Volcanoes, Eruptions and Earthquakes in Canada and USA (mainland)

Volcanoes of Canada and USA (mainland)

All volcanoes in Canada and in the contiguous states of the USA are listed that have had volcanic activity within the past 10,000 years or are considered to be still active.

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Arizona (6 volcanoes)

California (47 volcanoes)

Canada (33 volcanoes)

Colorado (3 volcanoes)

Dotsero | McCoy | Willow Peak

Idaho (9 volcanoes)

Nevada (9 volcanoes)

New Mexico (13 volcanoes)

Oregon (61 volcanoes)

Utah (8 volcanoes)

Washington State (12 volcanoes)

Wyoming (2 volcanoes)

Leucite Hills | Yellowstone

Significant volcanic eruptions: Canada and USA (mainland)

In historic times, at least 4 volcanoes have been active in Canada and USA (mainland), including Mount St. Helens, Lassen, and Mount Baker volcanoes. A total of 25 eruptions have been witnessed and documented since 1820.
The table below lists the most recent volcanic eruptions, significant eruptive episodes or related events in Canada and USA (mainland).

Date	Volcano	VEI	Region	Deaths	Damage
2004 Oct 1 - 2008 Jan 27 ±10 d.	Mount St. Helens South of 1980-1986 lava dome	2	Washington, USA
1990 Nov 5 - 1991 Feb 14	Mount St. Helens North side of lava dome	3?	Washington, USA
1989 Dec 7 - 1990 Jan 6	Mount St. Helens North side of lava dome	2	Washington, USA
1980 Mar 27 - 1986 Oct 28 ±3 d.	Mount St. Helens Summit and north flank	5	Washington, USA
1980 May 18 (eruption 1980 Mar 27 - 1986 Oct 28 ±3 d.)	Mount St. Helens	5	Washington, USA	61	catastrophic	Info
1980 May 18: All known direct deaths were attributable to the lateral blast, ashfall, and lahars of the May 18 eruption. Among the 25 victims who were autopsied, asphyxiation by airway constriction with ash was the cause of death in 17 and contributory in 2 others with thermal injuries. Thermal injuries alone accounted for 3 deaths; three victims died of trauma. A pilot of a crop duster was killed when his plane hit powerlines in central Washington State during tephra fall. In Yakima, a traffic accident, attributed to poor visibility, resulted in 1 death and 2 elderly people with heart conditions died while shovelling tephra from their property. Almost certainly, other indirect deaths also occurred. (reference #9675) 90 deaths, 2500 affected, $860 million damage. (reference #1250) Cited references #1250 Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) and the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) (2001): EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, link #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1914 May 30 - 1917 Jun 29	Lassen Lassen Peak	3	California (Canada and USA (mainland))
1880 Sep 7 - Nov 27	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1870	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1865 Sep 21 - 1866 Jan	Mount Hood	2	Oregon
1863 Jul	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1859 Nov - 1860 Apr 26 ?	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1859 Aug 15 - Aug 17	Mount Hood	2	Oregon
1858	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1857 Apr	Mount St. Helens	2	Washington, USA
1854 Feb - Apr	Mount St. Helens North flank	2	Washington, USA
1854	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1853 Mar 15 ±5 d. - Aug	Mount St. Helens North flank	2?	Washington, USA
1852 Dec 1 ±30 d. - 1853 Jan	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	2	United States
1850 Mar - May	Mount St. Helens North flank	2?	Washington, USA
1848 Apr 1 or before	Mount St. Helens	2?	Washington, USA
1847 Mar 26 - Mar 30	Mount St. Helens North flank (Goat Rocks)	2	Washington, USA
1842 Nov 22 - 1845 Sep 18 ?	Mount St. Helens North flank (Goat Rocks)	3	Washington, USA
1843	Mount Baker Sherman Crater	3?	United States
1835 Mar	Mount St. Helens North flank (Goat Rocks area)	2	Washington, USA
1831 Aug	Mount St. Helens North Flank (Goat Rocks area)	3	Washington, USA
1820 ?	Mount Baker	2	United States
1800 (eruptive episode 1800 Jan 15)	Mount St. Helens	5	Washington, USA	100-1,000 (*)		Info
1800: Oral tradition of NE Washington tribes noted many people starved to death the winter following the eruption. (reference #9675) Cited references #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K

(*) Estimated numbers

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Canada and USA (mainland) FAQ

+When was the last volcanic eruption in Canada and USA (mainland)?

The last volcanic eruption in Canada and USA (mainland) was from Mount St. Helens volcano during 2004 - 2008.

+When was the first documented volcanic eruption in Canada and USA (mainland)?

The first historically documented eruption occurred 1820 from Mount Baker volcano.

+How often do volcanoes in Canada and USA (mainland) erupt?

Since 1820, Canada and USA (mainland) has seen at least 25 historically documented eruptions. This means that a volcano erupts on average every 8.2 years.

+How active are the volcanoes in Canada and USA (mainland)?

Canada and USA (mainland) is volcanically infrequently active: Since 1900, at least 2 volcanoes in Canada and USA (mainland) have been active.Since 1900, Canada and USA (mainland) has had 5 volcanic eruptions from 2 individual volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions have been recorded erupted during 19 years out of 126 as of now. This means, at least one volcano in Canada and USA (mainland) has been in eruption in one in 6.6 years on average. The last volcano to erupt in Canada and USA (mainland) was Mount St. Helens volcano. Its was active from 2004 until 2008 and ended 17 years ago.

+When was the largest volcanic eruption in Canada and USA (mainland)?

The largest eruption in Canada and USA (mainland) in historic times was from Mount St. Helens volcano. It occurred during 1980 - 1986. It ranks as a plinian eruption with a magnitude 5 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale. Eruption of this size are often catastrophic on a regional scale.

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Adams (United States) volcano - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 2 October-8 October 2024 (Continuing Activity)

The Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) issued an information statement about seismicity at Adams. In the month of September six locatable earthquakes with magnitudes of 0.9-2 were recorded by one seismic station located 11 km SW of the summit and others located much farther away. Typically, at Adams, one earthquake is recorded every 2-3 years. ... Read all

Wed, 24 Jul 2024, 04:17

Yellowstone volcano (Wyoming, United States): hydrothermal explosion yesterday

The video screenshot from the explosion at Biscuit Basin thermal area yesterday (image: Vlada March/facebook.com)

At approximately 10:00 AM local time yesterday, a sudden small hydrothermal explosion occurred in Yellowstone National Park's Biscuit Basin thermal area, roughly 2.1 miles (3.5 km) northwest of Old Faithful. ... Read all