Piton de la Fournaise

 

Piton de la Fournaise is an active basaltic shield volcano situated on the French Island of La Reunion. The 2,631m volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It has recorded over 150 eruptions which have produced fluid basaltic lava flows.

Location:	Reunion Island, Indian Ocean
Coordinates:	-21.230042, 55.709261
Volcano Type:	Shield Volcano

 

Piton de la Fournaise’s Location

 

Piton de la Fournaise’s Latest Status

2024: Currently not active.

 

Piton de la Fournaise’s Eruptive History

2010	Fissure eruption (W crater rim) producing lava fountaining and flows.
2014	June – Eruption from two fissures and flows to 1.5km.
2015	Ongoing eruptions and lava flows. New cones built.
2017	Activity in lava tubes, white plumes observed. July – New fissures opened on the S flank, including one that extended 450m, producing multiple fountains reaching 30m.
2018	Short burst eruptive events (April and July). A further eruption occurred in September producing multiple fountains and lava flows.
2019	Eruption in Feb, producing a spatter cone and lava flows. Strong fire fountaining observed in March (50-100m high). June – Five fissures opened on the SE flank producing lava flows. October – Two fissures opened up, spewing lava for two days.
2020	April – Fissure eruption on the E flank. Fire fountaining to 30m and multiple lava flows.
2021	April – Fissure eruption at the Enclos depression building cinder cones and producing lava flows.
2022	September 2022: Eruption on the 19th of September at the cone next to the SW flank. Lava flows observed.
2023	August 2023: Short eruption that ended on August 10th.

 

Piton de la Fournaise Monitoring

For monitoring of this volcano, please refer to the Volcanological Observatory of Piton de la Fournaise.

 

Piton de la Fournaise Images