New Zealand lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of increased geological activity that circles the Pacific Ocean and contains about 90% of the world’s volcanoes. There are three types of volcanoes found in New Zealand, cone volcanoes (e.g. Ruapehu and Taranaki), caldera volcanoes (e.g. Lake Taupō), and volcanic fields such as the Auckland Volcanic Field| Ngā Tapuwae Ō Mataaho. The Auckland region can also be affected by eruptions from other New Zealand volcanoes, such as ash from the Taupō Volcanic Zone.
The Auckland Volcanic Field currently contains 53 remnants of volcanic eruptions in the form of scoria cones and craters. Eruptions generally only occur once at each site, meaning that the location of the next eruption is likely to be at a new, unknown location.
Volcanoes can produce a wide variety of hazards including:
Any eruption in Auckland will likely cause significant widespread disruption to the region, possibly for an extended time.
The Auckland Volcanic Field is considered an active field, with the last eruption occurring approximately 600 years ago at Rangitoto. New Zealand's volcanoes are monitored by GeoNet, which is continuously on the lookout for warning signs that a volcanic eruption is building.
What do I need to do to be ready?