Canada and the World
Current Events with a Canadian Perspective
Last update
19 November 2010
Volcanic Eruption
in Canada Killed Thousands
Almost 250 years ago a volcano in northern
British Columbia devastated two native communities
There are more than 200 volcanic features in Canada. Although none are active now, three have erupted in the last few hundred years and, according to Natural Resources Canada, “numerous others have the potential to erupt in the near future.”
Volcanoes Create West Coast Landscape
Natural Resources Canada says that geologically recent “volcanoes are part of a dynamic
process of mountain building and earthquakes that affects Canada’s westernmost landmasses
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Canada’s First Nations tell many stories of volcanic eruptions but these are all handed down in oral tradition. There is no doubt they occurred because the after effects can be seen in the geological record, but the eruption of the Tseax Volcano (sometimes called the Aiyansh Volcano) is the only one that can be verified.
Tseax Volcano Spews Lava
About 80 km north of Terrace, B.C. is the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Beds Provincial Park.
This is where you’ll find lava flows that came from the Aiyansh-
The lava began pouring out of the volcano between 1750 and 1775 and continued for some time. The lava plugged the Tseax River and created the aptly named Lava Lake.
However, along with the lava came volcanic gases. The gas was probably carbon dioxide and it caused the deaths of at least 2,000 people living in Nisga’a villages. It has been called “Canada’s worst known geophysical disaster.”
Image credit: Michael Scheltgen
© Canada and the World, April 2010
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According to First Nations legend, a child made a habit of cutting open salmon and plunging fiery sticks into their backs.
The elders told the child that misfortune would follow if he did not stop what he was doing. The child ignored the elders and soon the ground rumbled and fire and rocks were thrown out of the mountain top.
Fish are very important to the Nisga’a and the child’s disrespectful actions had caused the volcano to erupt.