A large fire engulfs piles of scrap metal at a junkyard, producing thick black smoke. Inset shows a close-up of inflamed debris, including a partly melted traffic sign. A row of industrial buildings is nearby.The car park of the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland is engulfed by lava flow. | Photos by Vilhelm Gunnarsson

A photographer has shared a series of dramatic photos showing volcanic lava engulfing areas around the Blue Lagoon in Iceland after the Sundhnúka crater erupted.

Press photographer Vilhelm Gunnarsson tells PetaPixel that he has covered every volcanic eruption in Iceland bar one since the year 2000.

“All these eruptions have happened about 30 minutes from my home so I am usually very fast when the police issue warnings it is going to erupt,” explains Gunnarsson. “The area is closed to the public but press is allowed to get closer if we have a gas mask, gas meter, helmet, and Tetra radio, plus a special press card.”

An aerial view of an erupting volcano with flowing lava near a road. Heavy machinery is seen managing the lava flow, while smoke rises in the background. The landscape is rugged and sparse, under a clear sky.A defensive wall had been built around the Blue Lagoon with two gaps left open. In this photo, big machinery is seen desperately closing the gap to save the Blue Lagoon which will open again soon. Aerial view of a large, intense fire with thick black smoke spreading across a parking lot. Visible blue and white handicapped parking spaces near the fire. Surrounding areas appear empty, with ash and debris scattered.Lava flows over the parking lot at the Blue Lagoon. Aerial view of a lava field with glowing molten rock spreading across a landscape. Smoke rises from the active volcano in the background. A road runs through the foreground, partially surrounded by cooling lava. Industrial structures are visible nearby.This drone photo shows the huge scale of the lava that is flowing around the defenses of the Blue Lagoon and the Svartsengi power plant.

The eruption that started last Wednesday night began with the opening of a three-kilometer (1.9 miles) long fissure. The Sundhnúkur crater is close to Iceland’s internationally renowned tourist attraction the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa.

The Blue Lagoon was forced to close as the resort’s parking lot was engulfed in lava last week. 50 homes in the homes of Grindavík, which lies at the center of the seismic activity, were forced to evacuate.

A road sign with the warning of falling debris stands amidst a landscape filled with smoke, fire, and molten lava, indicating a volcanic eruption or intense fire nearby.

Aerial view of an expansive lava field glowing with bright orange and red molten rock. Smoke rises in the background, while fiery rivers of lava spread out over the dark landscape, creating a striking contrast against the night sky.Gunnarsson says he has lost five drones covering volcanic eruptions. A road is blocked by a flow of lava, spewing flames and thick black smoke. A traffic sign indicates a speed limit of 50 and warns of construction. Mountains are visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.The road to the Blue Lagoon is engulfed in lava.

“Lava has previously destroyed roads, homes, power lines, and water pipelines,” Gunnarsson explains.

“Since December 2023, there have been seven eruptions in the area of Sundhnúksgígar. The eruptions have increasingly tested mitigation measures, such as lava cooling, employed to protect Svartsengi power facilities.”

Aerial view of a large fire with thick black smoke billowing over an industrial area. Flames spread near a rectangular building. The parking lot and some empty spaces are visible around the structure.Lava runs over a service house on the parking lot of Blue Lagoon.

Aerial view of a large fire engulfing a building and surrounding areas with thick black smoke. The flames are intense and widespread, consuming a nearby structure, with charred debris on the ground.

Aerial view of molten lava encroaching onto a road, with a stark contrast between the fiery orange and black lava and the smooth, gray surface of the road.

Gunnarsson adds that residents and authorities have become adept at handling eruptions, quickly organizing evacuations, and implementing measures like rerouting communications when fiber cables are damaged.

There have been ten volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula since the region entered a new volcanic phase in March 2021. Seven of those eruptions have been in 2024 alone.

The longest eruption occurred at Fagradalsfjall lasting 183 days from March to September 2021. Eruptions near Sundhnúksgígar have generally been shorter. The one from last week is now reported as being stable.

“It can be assumed that most of the lava is now flowing to the east,” says Iceland Meteorological Agency’s nature watch. “Although it is not excluded that some lava may flow under the solidified surface to the west, although no movement was seen last night on that part of the lava bed.”

A scene of a dark landscape with glowing orange flames and thick smoke rising from burning rubble. Two striped warning signs with a yellow flashing light stand amidst the debris, indicating caution.Lava runs over the road to the town of Grindavík and Blue Lagoon.

A road construction warning sign with a speed limit of 50 stands amidst a backdrop of intense flames and thick smoke, creating a dramatic and hazardous scene.

A vivid image of a lava field with bright orange and red molten rock flowing on the ground. Fiery flames and smoke rise into the night sky, creating a dramatic and intense scene of volcanic activity.The fissure that opened on Wednesday night was three kilometers long.

Aerial view of a volcanic eruption at night, with glowing rivers of lava flowing across dark terrain. Thick plumes of smoke rise into the sky, illuminated by the fiery glow of the molten lava.

Gunnarson is one of the most experienced news photographers in Iceland and is currently working for www.visir.is. To see more of his work, head to his Instagram account.

Image credits: Photographs by Vilhelm Gunnarsson