Researchers working to assess eruption risk of B.C.'s Mt. Meager

A team of scientists from B.C. and beyond are ramping up research on what's believed to be the province's only active volcano, Mt. Meager.

"The main thing the public needs to know about volcanoes is that we have them," said Glyn Williams-Jones, SFU professor of earth sciences.

Williams-Jones says there's more research being done on volcanoes in B.C. than ever before.

Sarah Aufrere, a PHD candidate working under Williams-Jones, refers to herself as a volcano detective. She's working on a project that examines microscopic crystal samples from Mt. Meager.

One sample dates back to an eruption nearly 15,000 years ago.

She's analyzing how long the crystals sat in magma prior to the eruption, and claims there are signs on the crystals that help provide a timeline for when an eruption could occur. She says it's one of many ways a volcano reveals its personality.

"They show us some signals such as an increase in seismicity, so the ground shaking," said Aufrere. "There's some warning signs."

Williams-Jones says Mt. Meager's last eruption was approximately 2,400 years ago, with ash discovered as far away as Alberta. He says the scope of the eruption was similar in impact to the devastating eruption of Washington State's Mt. St. Helens in 1980 that caused significant infrastructure and environmental damage and killed nearly 60 people.

"In all likelihood, the next volcanic eruption in British Columbia is probably going to be a lava flow," said Williams-Jones, citing Hawaii's volcanic activity as an example.

He tells CTV News researchers continue to collect samples of rock and lethal volcanic gas from Mt. Meager to study patterns that could help determine future eruptions.

"You're not going to stop these kinds of events, but potentially you can prepare for them," said Williams-Jones.

Aufrere says her early research has shown positive signs that an eruption could likely be detected months in advance. However, she warns that there's always the possibility of unpredictable activity.