Fire & Ice

One of the most notable places on Earth where lava and snow meet regularly is Iceland. This island nation, located near the Arctic Circle, is home to numerous active volcanoes, such as Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn, which are often covered by glaciers or snowfields.

When these volcanoes erupt, the lava comes into direct contact with the ice and snow, creating dramatic interactions, including steam explosions, rapid melting, and even glacial floods known as jökulhlaups.

Other locations where this phenomenon occurs include certain volcanic regions in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and Mount Erebus in Antarctica, where eruptions can coexist with snow and ice due to the cold climates. These unique interactions make these regions hotspots for studying the interplay between fire and ice.