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Tolbachik

Kamchatka's Great Basaltic Fire — Home of the 1975 Fissure Eruption

Elevation

3,611 m

Last Eruption

2012–2013

Type

Shield volcano (complex with stratovolcano)

Country

Russia

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskLow
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity-20119987 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

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Interesting Facts

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The 1975–1976 Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption produced over 2 km³ of basaltic lava, making it the largest historical basaltic eruption in Kamchatka and one of the largest worldwide in the 20th century.

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Fire fountains during the 1975–1976 eruption reached heights of 1,000–2,500 m — comparable to the tallest fire fountains ever recorded at any volcano.

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The 2012–2013 eruption covered approximately 36 km² with fresh basaltic lava — an area roughly equivalent to the city of Paris.

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Tolbachik is one of the few predominantly basaltic volcanic systems in a subduction zone setting, where more silica-rich explosive volcanism typically dominates.

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Ostry Tolbachik (Sharp Tolbachik) at 3,611 m is taller but extinct; the currently active component, Plosky Tolbachik (Flat Tolbachik), reaches only ~3,085 m.

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The summit caldera of Plosky Tolbachik formed approximately 6,500 years ago simultaneously with a massive southward sector collapse of Ostry Tolbachik.

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Tolbachinsky Dol, the volcanic valley south of Tolbachik, contains dozens of named cinder cones from thousands of years of fissure eruptions.

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The 1975–1976 eruption was one of the most intensively studied volcanic events of the Soviet era, producing foundational research on basaltic eruption dynamics.

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The 2012–2013 lava flows destroyed a volcanological field station and buried portions of the access road to the Klyuchevskaya Group.

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Visitors can still feel warmth radiating from the 2012–2013 lava flows, which continue to cool more than a decade after emplacement.

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Tolbachik is part of the UNESCO 'Volcanoes of Kamchatka' World Heritage Site, recognized for outstanding universal geological value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tolbachik still active?
Yes, Tolbachik is classified as an active volcano. It last erupted in 2012–2013, producing a dramatic fissure eruption that covered 36 km² with basaltic lava in Tolbachinsky Dol. While the volcano has been quiet since 2013, its history of long repose periods followed by major eruptions (36 years separated the 1975–76 and 2012–13 events) means that another eruption could occur with relatively little warning. KVERT monitors the volcano continuously as part of the Klyuchevskaya Group network. The magma supply system beneath the region remains one of the most productive in the world.
What was the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption?
The Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption of 1975–1976 was the largest historical basaltic eruption in Kamchatka. Beginning on July 6, 1975, it proceeded in two phases: the Northern Breakthrough (July–September 1975), which produced fire fountains up to 2,500 m high, and the Southern Breakthrough (September 1975–December 1976), which effused vast quantities of fluid lava. The eruption produced over 2 km³ of basaltic material and covered approximately 40 km² with lava flows. It was one of the most intensively studied eruptions of the 20th century and remains a cornerstone of basaltic eruption research.
What type of volcano is Tolbachik?
Tolbachik is a complex volcanic massif composed of two overlapping volcanoes. Plosky Tolbachik (Flat Tolbachik) is a shield volcano with nested summit calderas — the currently active component. Ostry Tolbachik (Sharp Tolbachik) is an older stratovolcano reaching 3,611 m — the highest point but now extinct. The system is predominantly basaltic, which is unusual for a subduction zone setting. Its eruption style is effusive (lava flows and fire fountains) rather than violently explosive, more similar to Hawaiian volcanism than to the typical explosive eruptions of Kamchatkan stratovolcanoes.
How tall is Tolbachik?
The highest point of the Tolbachik complex is Ostry Tolbachik (Sharp Tolbachik) at 3,611 m (11,847 ft), but this peak is extinct and has not erupted during the Holocene. The currently active component, Plosky Tolbachik (Flat Tolbachik), reaches approximately 3,085 m (10,121 ft). Within the Klyuchevskaya Group, Tolbachik is shorter than neighboring Klyuchevskoy (4,754 m) and Sheveluch (3,283 m), but taller than Bezymianny (2,882 m). Ostry Tolbachik is the third-tallest volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Can you visit the Tolbachik lava fields?
Yes, the 2012–2013 lava fields in Tolbachinsky Dol have become one of Kamchatka's most popular adventure tourism destinations. Visitors can walk across the still-warm basaltic lava, explore lava tubes and collapse features, and observe steaming fumaroles. Access is via rough track from the towns of Klyuchi or Kozyrevsk, requiring heavy-duty off-road vehicles with driving times of 6–10 hours. Helicopter access from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is also available. The climbing season runs July–September. Guided expeditions often combine Tolbachik with visits to other Klyuchevskaya Group volcanoes.
Why is Tolbachik basaltic in a subduction zone?
Most subduction zone volcanoes erupt andesite or dacite — more silica-rich, viscous magmas that produce explosive eruptions. Tolbachik is anomalous because it erupts basalt, a fluid, low-silica magma that produces effusive lava flows and fire fountains. The exact mechanism is debated, but it may relate to Tolbachik's position at the edge of the Klyuchevskaya volcanic cluster, where the magma plumbing system allows relatively primitive, undifferentiated mantle-derived basalt to reach the surface without the extensive crustal processing that transforms basalt into andesite at neighboring volcanoes like Klyuchevskoy and Bezymianny.
How does the 1975 eruption compare to the 2012 eruption?
Both were fissure eruptions on Tolbachik's southern rift zone producing basaltic lava flows, but they differed in scale. The 1975–1976 eruption was rated VEI 4, lasted approximately 18 months, and produced over 2 km³ of material covering ~40 km². The 2012–2013 eruption was rated VEI 3, lasted about 9 months, and produced an estimated 0.5–0.7 km³ covering ~36 km². The 1975–76 eruption featured more powerful explosive phases with fire fountains up to 2,500 m, while the 2012–13 eruption was more purely effusive. Both were among the largest volcanic events in Kamchatka in their respective decades.
Is Tolbachik dangerous?
Tolbachik poses low risk to populated areas due to its remote location — the nearest settlement, Klyuchi (population ~4,500), is approximately 55 km away. However, its eruptions produce extensive lava flows that have destroyed infrastructure (including a volcanological station in 2012–2013) and could threaten anyone in the eruption zone. Aviation hazards exist but are less severe than for explosive Kamchatkan volcanoes, as Tolbachik's basaltic eruptions produce lower ash columns. The primary risk is to volcanologists and tourists who visit the area during or between eruptions.