Lava Fork

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Lava Fork
Recently extruded lava at the Blue River
Elevation	914 m (2,999 ft)
Location	British Columbia, Canada
Range	Boundary Ranges (Coast Mountains)
Coordinates	56°52′N, 130°33′W
Type	Basaltic lava flows
Volcanic arc/belt	Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province
Age of rock	Historic
Last eruption	1800 (?)

Lava Fork is a volcanic center in the Iskut-Unuk River Cones volcanic field in northern British Columbia, Canada and is probably the youngest volcanic area in Canada. Lava flows traveled south 5 km where they crossed the border into Alaska and dammed the Blue River, a short tributary of the Unuk River flowing from the southeast flank of Mount Lewis Cass (Boundary Peak 47). In doing so it formed several small lakes. The lava flows are approximately 22 km long, and still have the original features and pits formed when the overlying solidified lava collapsed into underlying lava tubes and tree molds. The youngest of these lava flows could be only 150 years old and the oldest eruption is possibly 350 years old.^[1] Activity within the Lava Fork area was reported in 1904, however this eruption is considered uncertain.^[2] Lava Fork is the southernmost of ten volcanoes in the Iskut volcanic field, which includes volcanoes at Hoodoo Mountain and the Iskut-Unuk River Cones.^[3]

Lava Fork is one of the top 10 Canadian volcanic areas with recent seismic activity, the others include: Castle Rock, Mount Edziza, Mount Cayley, Hoodoo Mountain, Crow Lagoon, Mount Silverthrone, Mount Meager, Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanic Field and Mount Garibaldi.

[edit] Volcanic hazards

Because Lava Fork is located in the remote Iskut region and involves passive lava flows, future eruptions from Lava Fork pose little threat. Damming of rivers and other local water courses may disrupt fish habitat. Clouds of volcanic ash could threaten lower-flying aircraft along the northern coastal corridor between Vancouver and Alaska. Lava Fork is not being seismically monitored to warn of any future activity.^[4]