Volcanoes in Cascadia


The Cascade Volcanoes (also known as the Cascade Volcanic Arc or the Cascade Arc) are a number of volcanoes in a volcanic arc in western North America, extending from southwestern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California, a distance of well over 700 miles (1,100 km). The arc formed due to subduction along the Cascadia subduction zone. Although taking its name from the Cascade Range, this term is a geologic grouping rather than a geographic one, and the Cascade Volcanoes extend north into the Coast Mountains, past the Fraser River which is the northward limit of the Cascade Range proper.

The Cascade Volcanoes are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean. The Cascade Volcanoes have erupted several times in recorded history. Two most recent were Lassen Peak in 1914 to 1921 and a major eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. It is also the site of Canada's most recent major eruption about 2,350 years ago at the Mount Meager massif.

The May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was the most expensive in US history, costing about $1 billion in damages. The eruption killed 57 people, approximately 7,000 big game animals, and about 12 million fingerlings in hatcheries. Lahars destroyed 27 bridges and nearly 200 homes, and volcanic ash caused the first known in-flight aircraft engine failure plus disrupted thousands of households for many months.

Mount St. Helens is the poster child for a very tempestuous volcano, but what about the other hot spots in the Cascades? Are we going to wake up one morning to a new Mount St. Helens?

Oregon Public Broadcasting published an article and video "How Dangerous Are The Northwest’s Volcanoes?" in 2018 that looks at this issue.

So, can we expect to see a volcanic eruption in Cascadia in our lifetime? Well, maybe... but as with Mount St. Helens in 1980 there will likely be some advance warning.

Communities and individuals can minimize loss of life and property by making basic preparations now, such as learning the locations of hazard zones, inquiring about local emergency planning efforts, and preparing households and businesses for emergencies as they would for most other hazards.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) offers some suggestions on what you can do to prepare for a volcanic eruption.

The CDC also offers some 'Key Facts About Preparing for a Volcanic Eruption'. 


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