A sudden hydrothermal explosion rocked Yellowstone National Park’s Biscuit Basin area on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at approximately 10:00 am local time, sending visitors scrambling for safety and prompting park officials to temporarily close the affected area. The dramatic event, captured on video by tourists, unleashed a powerful jet of boiling water, steam, rocks, and dark-colored debris dozens of feet into the air, damaging the wooden boardwalk designed to keep visitors safe from the park’s fragile and often hazardous geothermal features.Despite the alarming nature of the explosion, no injuries were reported, although one tourist’s mother was reportedly hit by debris. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National Park Service have emphasized that such hydrothermal explosions, while spectacular, are relatively common in Yellowstone and do not indicate any changes in the park’s volcanic system, which remains at normal activity levels.Michael Poland, a scientist at the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, described these events as ‘a little-appreciated threat in the Yellowstone region’. The USGS defines hydrothermal explosions as ‘violent and dramatic events that cause the rapid expulsion of boiling water, steam, mud, and rock fragments’. Similar explosions have occurred in Biscuit Basin in 2009 and 1991, as well as after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 1959.While park geologists continue to investigate the cause of this particular blast, the area, including the parking lot and boardwalks, remains closed to ensure visitor safety. The explosion serves as a stark reminder of the dynamic and potentially dangerous nature of Yellowstone’s geothermal features, underscoring the importance of following park safety guidelines and respecting closed areas.
Key points
- A hydrothermal explosion occurred at Yellowstone’s Biscuit Basin on July 23, 2024, damaging infrastructure and forcing evacuation.
- No injuries were reported, but the area has been temporarily closed for safety and investigation.
- USGS and park officials state that such explosions are common and do not indicate increased volcanic activity.
- The event highlights the potential dangers of Yellowstone’s geothermal features and the importance of following safety guidelines.
