Now that’s it a hot shot.
The molten lava rose from the mouth of the Fagradalsfjall volcano in southwestern Iceland on Friday, when it erupted after lying dormant for 6,000 years. And the stunning images of natural phenomena are almost too hot to manipulate.
Aerial photographer Bjorn Steinbekk flew his drone over the burst of fire over the weekend, capturing an amazing viral video of the lava as it flowed on Mount Fagradals in Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula.
The eruption, triggered by a series of earthquakes in the area, was the peninsula’s first volcanic eruption in 781 years, according to the Associated Press.
Photographer Muhammed Emin Kizilkaya took a two-hour walk on the volcano on Sunday for close-up photos of lava flowing as its electric red glow illuminated the otherwise gray Icelandic sky.
“It was extremely hot! You could stay five [meters] and that would be too much, ”Kizilkaya told Caters News about the fire.
“This is the most surreal, extraordinary and wonderful thing I have ever witnessed,” he added.
“I slapped my face a few times to see if I was dreaming!”
The glow of the massive flame could be seen from the outskirts of the Icelandic capital, Reykjavík, which is about 30 miles away from the mountain.
Icelandic police tweeted residents near the area to stay indoors on Friday and keep their windows closed to prevent exposure to dangerous gas pollution caused by the eruption.
Volcanic gases, including sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen fluoride, pose a potentially high danger to humans, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Icelandic Meteorological Office confirmed on Twitter that high levels of volcanic gas were measured near the site of the eruption. However, officials noted: “Gas pollution is not expected to cause much discomfort to people, except those close to the source of the eruption.”
Despite concerns about potentially hazardous emissions, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said the eruption is small and unlikely to cause damage to nearby structures or settlements.