The 2025 Activity of Kamchatka and Kurile Volcanoes and Their Danger to Aviation

Abstract

In 2025, explosive eruptions of the Sheveluch, Klyuchevskoy, Bezymianny, Krasheninnikov, and Karymsky volcanoes occurred at Kamchatka, and of the Ebeko volcano at the Northern Kurile Islands. The strongest explosions of Sheveluch volcano with ash removal up to 10.5 km above sea level were recorded on May 16 and November 27, ash plumes and clouds extended, respectively, for 835 and 655 km to the northeast of the volcano. The explosive-effusive eruption of Klyuchevskoy volcano began on April 20 and continued till August 16, 2025. A paroxysmal phase of the eruption with ash ejection up to 12 km above sea level occurred continuously from August 6 to 12 (during 7 days) against the background of lava flows effusion, and ash plumes and clouds extended more than 1600 km, primarily to the east and southeast of the volcano. Paroxysmal eruptions of Bezymianny volcano occurred on April 23 and November 26, with ash removal reaching 13 and 12 km above sea level, respectively. The eruptive clouds moved more than 900 km to the southwest and south, and more than 2300 km to the east of the volcano, respectively. The first historical explosive-effusive eruption of Krasheninnikov volcano was detected at 16:39 UTC on August 2, 2025, in satellite images from the VolSatView information system by scientists from the KVERT. The effusive eruption of Krasheninnikov volcano continues up to this day. Explosive activity of the Karymsky volcano was observed from April 29 to August 27, 2025: explosions raised ash up to 4 km above sea level and ash clouds moved for 250 km, mainly to the east and southeast of the volcano. The explosive eruption of the volcano, which began on June 11, 2022, ended on January 13, 2025. During explosive eruptions, Sheveluch, Klyuchevskoy, and Bezymianny volcanoes were dangerous for international and local air travel, while Krasheninnikov, Karymsky, and Ebeko volcanoes were dangerous for local air travel.