LAVA POURING OUT OF THE SUNDHNúKA CRATER IN ICELAND CAUGHT IN AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHS

Perhaps no one understands why Iceland is called the "land of fire and ice" more than press photographer Vilhelm Gunnarsson. Working for the Icelandic newspaper Visir, Gunnarsson has reported on all of the island's volcanic eruptions since 2000. Most recently, this required rushing to record a lava fissure that opened up in the Sundhnúka crater that was almost two miles long.

Because of his press access, Gunnarsson can get up close to the action, and his photos capture the dramatic moments when a Blue Lagoon parking lot is engulfed by lava. When Sundhnúka started to erupt in late November, these geothermal spas, among Iceland's top tourist destinations, were closed to the public. Gunnarsson's photographs capture the destructive power of the molten lava as it engulfs a building in the parking lot and flows over roads.

Although some people may find the thought of photographing such a scene frightening, the photographer is accustomed to the circumstances and knows how to position himself most safely.

It is always different and depends on how quickly the lava flows, but I always try to get as close as I can. Is there gas nearby? He tells My Modern Met, "Some of them are not taken with a telephoto lens." However, you must be somewhat farther away from the actual eruptions. The kind of eruptions also affect it. For instance, these are not ash rising; they are simply lava. Because you can now take pictures above the hot lava mist without having to get as close, the drone has also revolutionized the way that eruptions are documented.

Volcanic activity has increased in Iceland in recent years, most notably with the spectacular six-month-long eruption of Fagradalsfjall in 2021. These have put the nation's security measures to the test, especially in the vicinity of power plants. Lava is visibly approaching the Svartsengi power plant, which supplies more than 21,000 homes with hot water and electricity, according to Gunnarsson's images.

The Icelandic Parliament authorized the construction of earth barriers around the geothermal plant and the Blue Lagoon after an earlier eruption damaged hot water pipes and blocked the main road leading to the plant. To fight the lava, cool water has also been used. However, as demonstrated by Gunnarsson's images, these measures are already being tested.