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Geological Survey of Canada

Catalogue of Canadian volcanoes
Lava Fork

Black Scoria at Lava ForkA helicopter sits upon thick, black scoria deposited from the eruption of Lava Fork volcano. The surrounding ridges are also covered with tephra and scoria deposits. The cone itself is poorly formed and, even though it is very young, has been eroded by the perpetual ice found at this elevation and latitude. (Photo by Kelly Russell (UBC))

Black Scoria at Lava Fork
A helicopter sits upon thick, black scoria deposited from the eruption of Lava Fork volcano. The surrounding ridges are also covered with tephra and scoria deposits. The cone itself is poorly formed and, even though it is very young, has been eroded by the perpetual ice found at this elevation and latitude.

(Photo by Kelly Russell (UBC))

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Lava Fork volcano is located immediately north of the British Columbia-Alaska border in northwestern British Columbia, approximately 60 km northwest of the town of Stewart. The volcano is one of 10 found along or near the Iskut River. The deposits at Lava Fork comprise mainly basaltic lava flows, which erupted from a vent high up on the side of a glaciated, U-shaped valley and flowed south 5 km where they crossed the border into Alaska and dammed the Blue River, forming several small lakes. In total, the lava flows are approximately 22 km long.

The vent area has small deposits of sulfur precipitated from volcanic gases and volcanic bombs up to 0.5 m long. The surface of the lava flows still have well preserved flow features such as pressure ridges and lava channels, as well as pits formed when the overlying solidified lava collapsed into underlying lava tubes. In many areas, large trees were engulfed by the lava flows and are now found embedded in the top of the flows.


Trees engulfed by lava flowsNear the distal end of the Lava Fork flows, trees were engulfed by the laval flows, but preserved as lava quenched against massive trunks or groups of trees. The bases of the trees then burned, and the upper trunks and branches fell to the still-cooling lava surface below. These hulks can be seen littering the lower reaches of the flow in curious crisscross patterns. View looking south, in the flow direction; the large tree is lying parallel to the flow direction. (Photograph by C.J. Hickson (Geological Survey of Canada))

Trees engulfed by lava flows
Near the distal end of the Lava Fork flows, trees were engulfed by the laval flows, but preserved as lava quenched against massive trunks or groups of trees. The bases of the trees then burned, and the upper trunks and branches fell to the still-cooling lava surface below. These hulks can be seen littering the lower reaches of the flow in curious crisscross patterns. View looking south, in the flow direction; the large tree is lying parallel to the flow direction.

(Photograph by C.J. Hickson (Geological Survey of Canada))

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Lava levees at Lava ForkWell defined lava levees and flow features can be seen on the surface of lava flows emanating from Lava Fork volcano. Although the vent area is relatively nondescript, significant quantities of lava poured down the steep slopes into the valley below, travelling over 15 km. (Photo by Kelly Russell (UBC))

Lava levees at Lava Fork
Well defined lava levees and flow features can be seen on the surface of lava flows emanating from Lava Fork volcano. Although the vent area is relatively nondescript, significant quantities of lava poured down the steep slopes into the valley below, travelling over 15 km.

(Photo by Kelly Russell (UBC))

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At least two different episodes of eruption produced the basaltic lava flows at the Lava Fork vent. On the basis of tree-ring-core dating and 14C dating, the youngest of these lava flows is probably only 150 years old. This makes Lava Fork the youngest known volcano in Canada. Because the Iskut region is so remote and the style of eruption involves basically passive, fluid lava flows, future eruptions from Lava Fork pose little threat. Damming of local water courses may disrupt fish habitat and spawning grounds, but ash clouds are unlikely to be high enough to disrupt international jet traffic. They could potentially threaten lower flying aircraft along the northern coastal corridor between Vancouver and Alaska.


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Lava Fork
Type of volcanic feature: Cinder cone
Additional volcanic features: Scoria cone, air-fall deposits, and lava flows
Region: British Columbia
Volcanic belt: Stikine volcanic belt
Area: Iskut-unuk River Cones
Latitude: 56.42 N
Longitude: 130.85 W
Age of last eruption: < 150 Years Ago
Oldest known eruption: > 350 Years ago
Summit elevation: 1330 m
Base elevation: 100 m
Estimated volume erupted: 2.2 km3
http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/volcanoes/cat/volcano_e.phpid=svb_lfk_040