On this date in 1980 Mt. St. Helens in Washington State blew its top. A friend of mine who lived in nearby Yakima mailed us photos of people with shovels clearing out ash from their driveways and sidewalks as if it were an early snowfall. Area residents, much like the rest of the nation, were in shock, not really comprehending the nature and scope of the disaster. Many seemed unaware that the volcanic debris was never going to melt away in the spring and would have to be removed in trucks. While the death toll was thankfully much lower than it might have been without advance warning from authorities, the event was still one of the most savage demonstrations of the Earth’s fury seen here at home by our generation.
Today most of the scars from the eruption have healed over, but the mountain is far from silent. As recently as January of this year there have been significant releases of steam and toxic gases and low-level earthquakes shake the area on a regular basis. This is a good occasion to remember that our planet is still capable of the occasional temper tantrum of spectacular proportions and we need to be ready for the next one. We have plenty of dormant domes right here in the United States, including one potential super-volcano which could wipe out a fair portion of the country on short notice. Ah… the wonder of nature!