NARRATOR:
In Mexico, millions of people
live in the shadow
of one of the Earth's
most dangerous forces,
where volcanoes have
buried villages...
TOM:
This is all that is left
of the village of San Juan.
NARRATOR:
...and influenced
culture.
TOM:
This is the plant that's being
used to produce tequila.
NARRATOR:
Where we get a bird's eye view
at danger...
TOM:
I don't know if I want it
to erupt right now or not.
NARRATOR:
...and witness the raw power
of Volcano de Colima at night.
TOM:
Looked like a fire fountain
probably 500 meters high.
♪♪♪
NARRATOR:
The Earth's continents
are moving.
Between North
and South America,
Mexico is being
torn apart, bent,
and thrust upwards
on a slow-motion tectonic
roller coaster.
One of the by-products of
this movement is volcanism,
and Mexico has two of
North America's most active
and dangerous volcanoes.
Millions of people live
in their shadows.
They largely rely on faith
and Mexico's civil protection
to keep them safe
from the dangers posed by
these volatile giants.
NARRATOR:
This is Puebla, Mexico's
fourth largest city.
1.4 million people live
beside the country's biggest,
Popocatepetl, which translates
into "smoky mountain."
It's an active volcano,
with an extremely violent past.
NARRATOR:
Volcanoes like Popo
are of major interest
to volcanologists like
Dr. Tom Pfeiffer.
TOM:
Popocatepetl is a
massive stratovolcano.
In fact, it is not only
one of the largest
and most active volcanoes
in volume and by activity,
but it also is the second
highest active volcano
in the whole of North America.
NARRATOR:
Popocatepetl is a highly
explosive volcano.
It has had 15 major eruptions
since the arrival of the Spanish
in the 16th century...
and five cataclysmic eruptions
in the last 10,000 years.
Eruptions so massive that
the volcano blew itself apart.
NARRATOR:
For sixty years, Popocatepetl
remained relatively quiet,
but re-awoke violently
in December of 1994.
TOM:
The first eruptions
were quite powerful
and sent bombs to three, four
kilometers' distance.
[Distant explosion]
TOM:
We just saw one of these
explosions that occur
maybe on average 10 times
a day at the moment.
You see an ash plume that
has risen to approximately
I'd guess one kilometer
above the crater.
So nothing really that small.
If you had been very close
it would be quite impressive.
NARRATOR:
Since 2013 it has been
erupting consistently,
and lately activity
has been on the rise
raising new fears
that a major eruption
might be on the horizon.
TOM:
This volcano has clearly
the potential to threaten
the area where we are,
but also beyond.
Parts of Mexico City
are built on deposits
from Popocatepetl,
showing that in the past
eruptions have been able
to affect that area.
So it is a volcano that is
on the top priority list
of potential natural disasters
to monitor.
NARRATOR:
Puebla was founded nearly
500 years ago
by Spanish colonialists.
They had no way of knowing
the extreme danger
the volcano posed...
that buried beneath
their feet
lay the remnants of the ancient
centre of Cholula,
a historic city
that was wiped out
by an eruption
of Popocatepetl.
NARRATOR:
The event was rated
as a Plinian eruption
similar to the colossal
event that buried Pompeii.
Plinian Eruptions generate
massive ash clouds
and pyroclastic flows:
hot avalanches
of debris and ash
that destroy everything
in their path.
NARRATOR:
When the Spanish colonials
started to build
the Our Lady of
the Virgin Sanctuary
they did not realize that the
hill they chose to build on
was the ruins of Mexico's
largest pre-Hispanic pyramid
buried beneath
ash and debris.
TOM:
I think here's a very
interesting spot
because we see the actual
deposit of the ash flow
that invaded the city.
You see it's full of pottery
fragments and debris
from building material.
This came racing down
and destroyed anything
that was rising higher
than a certain level.
♪♪♪
NARRATOR:
Because of the significance
of the 16th century church,
only part of the pyramid
has been excavated.
NARRATOR:
To access the structure,
archaeologists cut tunnels
into the volcanic debris.
NARRATOR:
This archaeological site
is one of several around Popo
that were buried
in this eruption.
In places the debris
is two stories deep.
TOM:
I get this
claustrophobic feeling
with these little alleys
going here and there.
I think I have the sense
of orientation.
We came from there,
so we get back onto
the main tunnel
over there, yeah.
An interesting,
eerie feeling.
NARRATOR:
Most of the tunnels
are bricked up for support.
What Tom is looking for
is evidence that the pyramid
was buried by ash fall
or a pyroclastic flow.
TOM:
Look, this is part of
the old structure.
It's clearly built.
And this is the loose deposit,
the ignimbrite.
NARRATOR:
Ignimbrite is formed
from compacted hot ash
and material that has flowed
off the volcano
during an eruption.
TOM:
You can see the marks where
the deposit was removed.
NARRATOR:
The remnants of these
ancient cities
are a potent reminder
of what could be
if Popo erupts again.
The worst-case scenario
would be the collapse
of the cone during
a major eruption.
But this is not the
only hazard they pose.
A volcano's hydrothermal
system effect
runs deep underground
and often extends
beyond the volcano's
structure.
Popo's underground
system is so massive
that parts of Mexico City
have been built on it.
This means that there can be
far-reaching effects
beyond the normal
eruption behavior.
NARRATOR:
Buried within the
crowded city,
a geological feature
said to be a volcano
has fascinated people
for a thousand years.
TOM:
If it was a volcano
you would expect lava,
but this is definitely
not lava.
So, if you look at
this dented surface
that's almost exactly
what you would find
in limestone areas
where caustic processes
chemically erode
the limestone.
Basically it's the same stuff
you find in the tubes
of your washing machine
when you have
hard mineral-rich water;
it's deposits from water.
NARRATOR:
The cone does have a crater
on the top
that descends below
ground level.
It may not be
from a volcano,
but it is likely
the by-product of one.
As magma rises,
it comes into contact
with the area's
hydrological system.
Underground water is
converted to steam
and it can erupt
as a geyser.
TOM:
It's said that it appeared
in 1063 AD
during an eruption
of Popocatepetl.
So from far maybe
you would see steam,
hot steam coming out
from there
that people would associate
with volcanic activity.
TOM:
Here you see it very nicely,
how this cone is built up
by individual layers,
some very thin like here,
and you see those typical
cinder structures:
deposits left from water
that was rich
in mainly carbonites.
So since its formation
the hydrothermal system
that once fed it
has apparently changed again.
But remember,
it's a thousand years ago.
It's rare you can
go inside.
♪♪♪
NARRATOR:
The probability of
a geyser or a volcano
opening in downtown Cholula
or Mexico City
is not very high.
But it is possible.
It happened eight hours away
in Michocan State.
In 1943, a fissure opened up
in a Mexican corn field
near the town of San Juan.
TOM:
A farmer was there
planting his field
and he witnessed the moment
the volcano was born.
Fissures opened,
lava came out,
and he probably probably
witnessed rocks
being blown out and
eventually saw fire underneath.
That must have been
an amazing event.
NARRATOR:
The volcano is
called Paricutin
and it erupted
for nine years
before it went extinct.
The event was a field day
for scientists.
It was the first time that a
volcano had been witnessed
from its birth to its death.
CNN listed it as one of
the Seven Natural Wonders
of the World.
NARRATOR:
Paricutin's lava flow
was slow enough
that most of the people in
the area were able to move away
before the lava and ash
destroyed their homes.
With the exception of the
stone church,
Paricutin completely destroyed
the town of San Juan.
NARRATOR:
Today marks the
72nd anniversary
of the start of
the eruption.
As they do every year,
the locals mark that day
with celebrations.
And the ruins of
San Juan's church
play a major part in that.
To get to the church you can
either walk for two hours
or go by horseback.
TOM:
For me it's an adventure.
I'm not very familiar
with horses.
Are you going to be okay?
You're not going to throw me
into the lava?
Go, go...
Go, yes.
♪♪♪
TOM:
This is all what is left
of the village of San Juan.
The front part of the
main church, with one tower,
is still standing.
Locally this is regarded
as a miracle,
that the lava flows
consumed everything
but spared at least
part of the church.
NARRATOR:
Divine intervention might have
played a part in it,
but it's likely that
the church's survival
had a lot to do with
its solid construction.
The four spires were built
from heavily
reinforced concrete.
It appears that
was solid enough
to provide enough resistance
to divert the lava flow.
NARRATOR:
Although the spires were able
to channel the lava
around much of the church,
lateral pressure became
too great,
causing the building
to collapse.
It was later covered
in a second flow.
TOM:
I'm standing just above
the height of the ceiling
of the main ship
on the first floor,
so I can't actually see the
ground but it's almost there.
It must be seven,
eight meters.
So this gives you an idea of
the thickness of the flow.
NARRATOR:
The original church altar
is still intact.
People from all over the region
come here to thank God
for sparing the people
of San Juan.
NARRATOR:
When you look at the way the
altar resisted the lava flows
and destroyed much of the
church and surrounding city,
it is understandable
why people consider this
to be a miracle.
[Speaking Spanish]
NARRATOR:
The eruption of
Paricutin was so recent
that there are still people
in the area
that remember the event.
[Speaking Spanish]
TOM:
At the time of eruption
he was 13 years old,
lived in a village up there.
People were quite afraid
at that time.
But they had sufficient time
to evacuate their belongings,
their goods;
nobody was killed.
He said it was constantly
raining ash on the villages
in the area and
many houses collapsed
because of the weight
of the ash on the roofs.
NARRATOR:
Paricutin is what's known
as a mono-genetic volcano
or a cinder cone
that only erupts
once in its life
and then dies.
TOM:
But if you look at
the landscape here,
it is actually the typical
kind of activity
in this part of the
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Zone.
Each cone we see here
is basically the result
of a similar eruption
than the one
that occurred 72 years ago.
NARRATOR:
When activity returns,
it chooses a new conduit
to erupt from,
creating a new cinder cone
and that can be anywhere
within the vast area
known as a volcanic field.
Usually a mono-genetic
field has between
10 and 100 volcanoes.
But here in Mexico
it's unusually large.
There are more than a
thousand small cinder cones
within the field.
Science still doesn't know
why magma erupts like this.
The working theory is that
the ground is soft
and there is an unusually high
number of underground faults
or fractures so that the magma
has easy routes
to the surface.
TOM:
Paricutin over nine years
erupted an estimated total
of 1.5 cubic kilometers,
which is quite a sizable
eruption, actually.
NARRATOR:
After spending time
looking at the way lava flows
reformed the area,
Tom continues on
to explore
Paricuti-n's crater.
NARRATOR:
It's a short trip,
just about half an hour,
but it's a steep
and arduous climb.
♪♪♪
TOM:
So this is it,
where during nine years
all this ash that we see
covering the slopes,
the entire landscape around
the lava field, essentially.
NARRATOR:
By the end of the
first day,
the cone was already
five stories high.
The eruption intensified
as time went on.
TOM:
There's still a lot of heat
stored in the lower layers.
When rainwater gets into contact
with the still-hot rocks
it is transformed into steam
and comes out here
along small fissures.
TOM:
In terms of the lifespan
of a volcano,
this one had
a very short one.
Typically volcanoes live for
hundreds of thousands of years
and this one
just nine years.
NARRATOR:
If this volcanic field
ever comes active again
it is likely that scientists
will know ahead of time.
As magma rises from deep
within the earth,
it will generate earthquakes
as it fractures rock
on its way to the surface.
TOM:
Modern seismic networks
should be able to locate
progressively shallower
earthquakes,
which is the clear signature
of magma
intruding from the pressure
towards the surface.
NARRATOR:
By tracking the depth
as it progresses upwards,
scientists will not
only get an indication
of when an eruption will occur,
but also where.
TOM:
The least thing you want
is a cone like this forming
under a village
and being not prepared.
NARRATOR:
When people hear
about volcanoes erupting,
the general image is of lava
flows rushing towards a city,
or burying being buried
by ash and pyroclasitc flows.
NARRATOR:
But most of the time,
the real damage
from volcanic eruptions
is from the ash.
Ash from nearby volcanoes
can collapse roofs,
or even bury towns.
But over time that ash
becomes a benefit.
Rising out of
the Tequila Valley
is the volcano
that bears its name.
NARRATOR:
Volcanic ash is
nutrient-rich,
which makes it ideal
for agriculture.
Around the world
volcanic ash is prized
for the flavor it gives
to its crops.
Tom heads to central Mexico
where an extinct volcano
is at the heart of one of
Mexico's most iconic products:
tequila.
NARRATOR:
Rising over the valley
is the Tequila volcano.
Ash from an eruption
200,000 years ago
created the fertile valley
which today is lined
with rows of
a native spiky plant.
TOM:
This is the plant that's been
used to produce tequila.
It's a special variety
of the agave family,
the so-called blue agave
because of its color.
You have to be really careful
with these
extremely sharp points
of the leaves.
You can easily...
They will just punch through
your skin.
I have a little cut here.
NARRATOR:
Tom is at the tequila producers
of Tres Tonos,
or "The Three Tonys,"
a medium-size producer
in the Tequila region.
These plants are blue agave
and are a succulent,
not a cactus.
The difference is that
the moisture is stored
in the leaves,
and not in the stems or trunks.
The blue agave plant prefers
the high altitudes
found in this region
of Mexico.
They can grow to the height,
and equal the weight
of an adult human.
NARRATOR:
The method of growing and
harvesting has remained
unchanged for centuries.
The plants are cared for
and harvested by Jimador's.
These men have passed down
their knowledge
about the blue agave
from father to son
for generations.
TOM:
What we are looking at
is actually a tradition
that has been around
for almost 500 years.
Since 1542 was the first
recorded production of tequila,
and since tequila
has become so famous
it has also become
a symbol of Mexico.
It requires a lot of
skill and strength
and it's usually taught
from father to son.
NARRATOR:
The agave takes between
seven and nine years
to mature before
they are harvested.
[Inaudible chatter]
TOM:
Oh, this is very strong.
So if they can do
300 a day,
I probably can do five
at this speed.
TOM:
I thought I was
getting close
but actually this seems
to be the toughest part.
No, this is not for me...
Por favor.
TOM:
It looks effortless almost.
As he does it, yeah,
he just flips it over.
NARRATOR:
The agave hearts are taken
to the plant
where they are cooked in
autoclaves and then crushed
to extract the juices.
The juice is then fermented.
TOM:
Inside here is the juice,
and it's fermenting.
It's so powerful to see,
it reminds of a hot spring
at a volcano, actually.
NARRATOR:
After the fermenting stage,
the liquid is tested
for its alcohol content.
This process takes 72 hours.
TOM:
He's measuring the
density of the liquid,
which is directly proportionate
to the content of alcohol.
Because alcohol is light,
as fermentation goes on
more alcohol is being produced
and the liquid becomes lighter.
So during the 72 hours,
this floating meter
will slowly sink
as the density
of the liquid goes down.
So at the time
it will be here,
that means he knows that
it contains 55% alcohol
and is ready
to be distilled.
NARRATOR:
Mexico has the Origin
of Denomination for tequila,
which means to be classified
as authentic
it must be produced in one of
the certified growing locations
and must meet a certain
standard of quality.
TOM:
So of course the very final step
is actually to drink it.
BOTH:
Salud.
TOM:
Mmm,
I like that one.
It's a bit smoother and it
has a slight woody taste.
We are at the foot of
Tequila Volcano,
an extinct stratovolcano,
which has fertilized
with its lava flows
and ash deposits
this valley,
making the perfect ground
for the production of tequila.
And now we are here and
enjoying one of these bottles,
well part of it.
Salud.
TOM:
Mmm.
That's very smooth,
this one.
NARRATOR:
While the Tequila region
remains quiet,
Mexico's other active volcano
is anything but.
Volcano de Colima,
or "the Colima volcano"
has been increasing
in activity.
In the three weeks
before Tom's arrival
Colima has had some
powerful eruptions,
raising serious concerns.
Like Popocateptl, it too
has a large population
around its base.
Nearly a half million people
live within its danger zone.
Given its eruptive history,
there is some belief
that the volcano is on
an 100-year cycle
that will culminate
in a colossal eruption.
NARRATOR:
The last colossal eruption
was 1913.
It destroyed most of
the volcano,
and caused widespread damage
in the city of Colima,
killing eight people.
Today the area is vastly
more populated,
making the threat greater.
TOM:
[Speaking Spanish]
NARRATOR:
Two people that live
with that danger
are photographer Hernando Rivera
and Ulises Chavez,
the owner of the cabin.
TOM:
[Speaking Spanish]
[Speaking Spanish]
TOM:
How's the volcano been
in the past days?
NARRATOR:
Active is good for Tom.
He's here to photograph Colima
for a book
he is putting together
on active volcanoes.
TOM:
We are maybe--
I looked on the map--
It should be six, seven
kilometers from the distance
in a straight line,
to the summit.
So in case of a major
explosion,
like last time in 1913,
we would not be
safe here.
This area was hit by
pyroclastic flows.
NARRATOR:
A large eruption in
the next five days is unlikely.
Although the volcano is
going through a phase
of high activity,
the frequent eruptions
indicate to Tom that pressure
is not able to build up
inside the volcano.
And he is well outside
the exclusion zone
imposed by Civil Protection.
If the intensity increases,
or if abnormal activity
is detected, Colima's
Civil Protection
will increase that zone
for everyone's safety.
TOM:
Have you been here before
to see the eruptions?
HERNANDO:
Yes, mostly on weekends...
I came here and just..
enjoy the show.
TOM:
This doesn't get more
comfortable.
[Distant explosion]
NARRATOR:
Tom spends a lot
of time visiting
and photographing
active volcanoes.
He finds Colima
irresistible.
The volcano undergoes
frequent moderate eruptions.
[Rumbling]
NARRATOR:
Colima is stratovolcano,
a type of volcano
that is made up from layers
of ejected material.
With each lava flow
and ash eruption
the cone gets bigger.
NARRATOR:
This type of volcano
is prone to collapse
either during an eruption
or from erosion.
To make matters worse,
Colima produces
a sticky type of lava that
collects at the summit
growing the volcano faster.
The result is
a much steeper volcano
that adds to the likelihood
of collapse.
Very active volcanoes like
Colima often go through periods
of destruction
followed by rebuilding.
TOM:
In the past, tens of thousands
of years ago
a much bigger volcano
was in its place.
That volcano collapsed and
generated a giant avalanche
that travelled that way,
leaving a depression.
This one is in the stage
of rebuilding its cone.
That's why it's
so beautiful.
TOM:
It's the last light
of the day.
Only the upper part of the
mountain has still sunlight
and it's glowing red,
and we had just
a beautiful ash eruption.
It looked incredibly nice
with the blue background
of the clear sky
and the red ash.
A perfect evening.
NARRATOR:
The explosions are
impressive by day,
but they are spectacular
by night.
[Rumbling]
[Explosion]
[Rumbling]
TOM:
Wow, this was by far the most
spectacular eruption so far.
TOM:
After a relatively small one
that followed six hours
of nothing, a big one started
that lasted several minutes
with a continuous jet
of incandescent ash.
Lots of bombs.
The whole upper half
of the cone was bombarded.
And it was fantastic to see.
It was constantly
pumping up.
You could hear the roaring
of the explosion
and the tumbling sound
of rocks falling down.
I'm happy to have it
on picture.
NARRATOR:
The upper part of the volcano
is covered with
incandescent material.
What looks like small
exhalations by day
take on a different look
entirely at night,
where you can see the glow
of molten lava.
NARRATOR:
Each day at a volcano
is different,
as it runs through
short-term cycles.
It all depends on the rate
that magma is flowing
into the chamber
below the crater.
NARRATOR:
Those volcanic bombs
or giant rocks
are thrown out of the volcano
and roll downhill.
The activity is building
the volcano.
Over the period of a century,
a volcano like Colima
can add a third or more
to its size.
TOM:
It seems the volcano
has picked up since last night.
This morning we already had
two quite sizable eruptions.
The upper flanks
are full of dust
which comes from rock falls,
and actually now there is
a rock fall going on.
TOM:
To me, it seems
it's picking up.
Both, especially the size
of the average explosion.
It might be that the eruptions
are less frequent
so the intervals are longer,
but that seems also to result
in bigger explosions.
As more magma accumulates,
it is ejected during
the subsequent explosion.
NARRATOR:
What's occurring inside
the crater is not visible.
From the ground,
it's impossible to see
how many vents are
causing the eruptions.
Often a volcano will have
more than one eruptive vent,
and each will have a
different characteristic.
Some vents produce smaller,
less explosive eruptions.
At times all the vents
within the crater erupt together
producing a larger
than average eruption.
The best way to see what's
happening is from above.
TOM:
We have been so lucky that the
volcano has started to erupt
while we were
approaching it.
A scent of ash is rising
from the central crater
and it's still going on after
three, four minutes I think.
NARRATOR:
Pilots play an important role
in the global reporting
of volcanic eruptions.
Here the pilot is requested
by the control tower
to relay information on the
eruption column's height
and drift.
TOM:
The pilot,
with his experience,
told them it's about
two kilometers tall.
Two kilometers
above the summit,
which is a moderately large
eruption, actually.
NARRATOR:
This information will be relayed
by local air traffic controllers
to any passenger planes
using this busy corridor.
Volcanic ash is
incredibly abrasive.
If it were to be sucked in
by the plane,
it can cause the engines
to stall.
A small turbo plane
like the one that Tom is in
is not in danger.
The pilot's observation of
the summit crater
will also get relayed on to
the civil protection agency.
Tom will post his observations
to his volcano discovery
website.
Those are widely used by the
Smithsonian Institution's
global volcano activity report
that is sent out weekly.
NARRATOR:
From this vantage point,
Tom can see just how steep
the volcano is.
As they draw level
with the crater,
they can look right inside.
It looks like a
large ash pit
where material has fallen back
in from previous eruptions.
TOM:
I am not sure I would like
to have an explosion right now.
We are so close.
NARRATOR:
In spite of Tom's wishes,
the volcano erupts.
Fortunately it's not a
sudden, big explosion
but something much smaller.
NARRATOR:
A number of ash jets shoot up
from multiple vents.
The initial burst
clears the conduit,
so the eruption is sustained
for a few minutes.
The eruption releases
pressure inside the volcano.
As ash falls back down,
it blocks the conduit
and the process of
re-pressurization begins again.
NARRATOR:
The flight gave Tom
a great view of the crater.
Now he and Hernando Rivera
are going to see Colima
from another angle.
They're heading to the
volcano observation post
on top of
Nevado de Colima,
an old, extinct part of
the complex
next to the active cone,
which is known
by its full name
Fuego de Colima.
The area is off limits
to the general public
but Tom and Hernando
get special permission.
Security is tight
and the area is patrolled
to keep unauthorized
thrill-seekers away.
They are greeted by members
of the Jalisco Civil Protection,
who will guide them the rest of
the way up the steep roads.
TOM:
The guy is worried that
the van will make it.
We convinced him
to at least try it.
We'll see.
Well, it's typical for if
you try to access
an active volcano
that you have obstacles
that are not necessarily
the nature of the volcano
but sometimes,
or very often actually,
it's the authorities.
So apparently the way is
very bad and dangerous.
DRIVER:
Yes.
TOM:
I'm not very afraid
of the volcano
having an exceptional explosion
and affecting us
at five kilometers'
distance.
I'm actually more worried of
the narrow road
and this car flipping over
and landing down there
in some gully.
NARRATOR:
Access to active volcanoes
varies throughout the world.
In Hawaii, you can drive up
to Kilauea's active crater,
and at Italy's Mount Etna,
you can ski the active area.
However, once
an eruption starts
the skiing is shut down
until the eruption stops.
TOM:
I think we're just a little bit
higher than the summit of Fuego.
NARRATOR:
Tom is heading into the Jalisco
Civil Protection Agency's
volcanic observation post
on Colima's neighbor.
It's an older,
extinct volcano
that is part of the
same complex as Colima.
It's an excellent and safe
vantage point to monitor
the changes at the summit
of the active volcano.
NARRATOR:
The structure is built
with reinforced concrete
that can withstand
a large eruption.
[Distant explosion]
NARRATOR:
The volcano is still
very active.
TOM:
We're just having an
eruption.
It's a small one,
but it's so beautiful
because we're so much closer
than from our cabin down there,
which is also a great view
from the west.
And it's incredible.
You have the feeling
you can see each detail
of the crater rim.
TOM:
Probably going to have
a bigger ones.
And already it's
very beautiful.
We're just a little bit
higher I would say
than the top of the crater
of Colima,
Fuego de Colima.
The view is just amazing.
To the west, see the chain
of mountains all the way
to the Pacific coast
in the far distance there.
We are almost 4,000 meters
above sea level here.
NARRATOR:
As the sun goes down,
Tom gets ready
for Mother Nature's
greatest show.
NARRATOR:
Today the eruptions
have been between
two and six hours apart,
so there's nothing to do
but be patient and wait.
TOM:
We are here and just
facing Fuego volcano,
maybe four kilometers away.
It's 20 minutes past 11
or something.
Beautiful moonlight,
almost no wind.
We're at 4,000 meters
altitude.
Although it's freezing it's
quite bearable because
there's no wind.
We have the feeling
it might erupt soon again.
There is a little
incandescent spot,
I guess it's what's left of
the most recent lava dome.
This glow sometimes
increases,
but it looks as if
it has been quiet for awhile
so I have this feeling it might
erupt very soon again.
Anyway, we're ready here.
NARRATOR:
As the pressure increases,
small vents open up,
shooting out burning gas.
Inside the crater,
the conduit is plugged.
It will need to build up
enough pressure
before it can blow the plug.
[Distant explosion]
NARRATOR:
This builds to the point
it can sustain itself,
and an eruption happens.
[Explosion]
[Rumbling]
NARRATOR:
This is a full eruption,
and it's a good one.
[Rumbling]
NARRATOR:
These eruptions can continue
for as long
as there's pressure
in the conduit.
[Rumbling]
[Crackling]
TOM:
I think this was probably
the biggest one
we've had in the five days
we've been observing Colima.
It looked like a fire fountain
probably 500 meters high.
It's not a lava fountain
but it looked as if one.
All this incandescent ash,
blocks being ejected,
and then falling back
onto the flank
and tumbling down
until the whole flank here
was glowing red.
It was an amazing show.
I'm glad we insisted
coming here
and waiting out
in the cold at night.
It was really worth it.
♪♪♪
NARRATOR:
The following morning,
the volcano
is once again
very active.
[Rumbling]
NARRATOR:
If the idea of getting
this close to an active volcano
seems reckless or foolhardy,
then consider Tom's view.
Experienced volcanologists
don't take risks.
They carefully watch the cycles
and know when the climb
would be too dangerous.
They adhere to the rules
put in place
by the local authorities.
Tom believes it's safer
than driving on motorways.
But what makes it most
worthwhile for Tom
is that he gets a front row seat
to see the elemental forces
that shape our earth.
TOM:
There's this incredible
beauty of this mountain,
which every now and then
spits out fire.
It's a sense of something
much bigger than humans.
There is this aspect of
mystery of nature,
something much bigger than us.
We're very prone to give us
this sensation
of being close to the elements.
Something that reminds you
of the creation of the Earth,
and that's what's
most fascinating to me.
Combined with the sheer
beauty of something symmetric
where there is a crater,
and all of a sudden
you see fire
coming out from there.
NARRATOR:
For now, Colima
continues to erupt
moderately and safely.
It is likely that before
any major eruption
the volcano's activity
will pick up
and will demonstrate signs
that will give scientists
enough warning to safely
evacuate the people
surrounding the volcano.
Time will tell.
♪♪♪
NARRATOR:
The history of humanity
has always been affected
and rerouted by
natural disasters.
We know that certain kinds
of volcanic eruptions
have the power to bring
incredible destruction
in moments.
But now we have
sophisticated technology
and a better understanding of
the mechanisms at work
inside a volcano
to monitor them.
In Mexico, millions of
people live in the shadows
of active volcanoes.
They will erupt again.
The unanswered question
is when.
But for now we observe
and wait,
and marvel at their
power and beauty.
♪♪♪
