Monte Busca is considered to have completely lost its “dignity as a volcano.”
Somewhere in the world exists a truly “interesting” volcano. It has been erupting for over 100 years, with nearby residents and tourists using its hot lava to grill meat. Many have even dubbed it the most useless volcano in the world!
The Power of Volcanoes
Monte Busca is a truly “interesting” volcano.
Typically, when a volcano erupts, a large amount of magma is released. Lava flows incinerate everything in its path, turning it almost entirely to ash, with even many types of hard rocks unable to “escape their fate.”
Additionally, volcanic eruptions release significant amounts of volcanic ash. If inhaled by humans or animals, it can lead to choking and suffocation. Furthermore, volcanoes emit toxic gases, which can be life-threatening if inhaled by humans.
Thus, volcanoes pose great dangers to humanity. Eruptions can undoubtedly result in severe disasters. However, there are many volcanoes around the world that are entirely different from what we might imagine.
This one is considered the “most embarrassing” volcano in the world, having burned for over 100 years while locals use it as a stove for cooking.
The World’s “Most Disgraced Volcano”
Monte Busca is located in Forli, Italy.
Unlike the towering heights of most volcanoes around the world, Monte Busca stands only 1.2 meters tall and is the smallest volcano in Italy. It does not erupt powerful lava flows, nor does it emit volcanic ash and toxic gases; instead, it continuously releases natural gas.
The origins of Monte Busca are also different from those of typical volcanoes.
Volcanoes form due to extremely high temperatures beneath the Earth’s surface, which increase as one descends toward the Earth’s core. At a depth of about 30 km, the temperature is hot enough to melt most types of rock.
When the rock melts, it expands and requires more space. In some areas of the Earth, mountain ranges are continuously being uplifted. The pressure beneath these mountains is not high, allowing a reservoir of molten rock, known as magma, to form below.
The molten rock is continuously pushed upward, resulting in mountains that grow in height. When the pressure in the magma reservoirs exceeds that of the overlying rock, magma erupts, creating a volcano.
Monte Busca does not erupt lava, resembling a small, continuously burning fire.
However, Monte Busca is actually a gas outlet from a natural gas field. Natural gas escapes from the vent, igniting upon contact with oxygen, and has been burning for over 100 years.
Monte Busca is located on relatively flat ground, does not erupt lava, and resembles a small, continuously burning fire.
Local Cooking Stove
Due to the stable flow of natural gas, Monte Busca burns continuously. Local residents often take advantage of the flames from Monte Busca to grill meat, conserving fuel. Many organize camping trips, setting up tables and chairs to cook dinner for their families.
The area around Monte Busca has also become a tourist attraction.
In 2008, a mountain enthusiast grilled wild rabbit over the flames of Monte Busca and later shared the experience online, describing the dish as having “wonderful flavors” cooked from a natural stove. This post helped make Monte Busca a tourist hotspot.
Today, the area around Monte Busca has become a tourist attraction. Residents from many nearby cities come here for picnics, enjoying the natural scenery while utilizing the natural fire.
As such, Monte Busca is considered to have completely lost its “dignity as a volcano.”
Although small, Monte Busca is not the smallest volcano in the world. The smallest volcano is located in a forest in Colombia, standing less than 3 cm tall. Even more astonishing, like most other volcanoes, it also experiences genuine lava eruptions, rather than just burning due to natural gas like Monte Busca.
