Monte Busca is considered to have completely lost its 'volcanic pride'.
Somewhere in the world exists a truly "interesting" volcano . It has been erupting for over 100 years, and locals and tourists alike come to see it and use its hot lava to barbecue. Many even call it the most useless volcano in the world !
The power of volcanoes
Monte Busca is an incredibly "interesting" volcano.
Typically, when a volcano erupts, a large amount of magma is spewed out. Wherever the lava flows, almost everything is burned to ash, even many types of hard rock cannot escape its fate.
Furthermore, volcanic eruptions release large amounts of volcanic ash. If humans or animals inhale this ash, it can cause airway obstruction and suffocation. In addition, volcanoes release toxic gases, which, if inhaled by humans, can be life-threatening.
Therefore, volcanoes are very dangerous to humans. Volcanic eruptions will certainly cause serious disasters. But there are still many volcanoes in the world that are completely different from what we imagine.
This is considered the world's most "shameful" volcano, having been burning for over 100 years, yet locals use it as a cooking stove .
The "world's most devalued" volcano
Monte Busca volcano is located in the province of Forli, Italy.
Unlike the towering heights of most volcanoes in the world, Monte Busca is only 1.2 meters tall and is the smallest volcano in Italy . It doesn't erupt with massive amounts of lava, nor does it release volcanic ash and toxic gases; instead, it continuously spews out natural gas.
The origin of Monte Busca volcano is also different from that of typical volcanoes.
Volcanoes are formed because the temperature beneath the Earth's surface is extremely hot; the deeper you go towards the Earth's core, the higher the temperature becomes. At a depth of about 30km, the temperature is hot enough to melt most types of rock.
When rocks melt, they expand and require more space. In some areas of the Earth, mountain ranges are constantly being uplifted. The pressure beneath these mountains isn't great, so a reservoir of molten rock, also known as magma, forms underneath.
Molten rock is constantly being pushed upwards, resulting in mountains that continuously increase in height. When the pressure in magma pools exceeds the pressure exerted by the overlying rock, the magma erupts, forming volcanoes.
Monte Busca doesn't erupt lava; it's more like a small, continuously burning fire.
However, Monte Busca volcano is actually a natural gas vent . The natural gas escaping from the vent, upon contact with oxygen, ignites and has been burning for over 100 years.
Monte Busca sits on relatively flat ground, not erupting lava, like a small, continuously burning fire.
Local cooking stoves
Because of the stable flow of natural gas here, the Monte Busca volcano burns continuously. Local residents often take advantage of Monte Busca's flames to grill meat, saving fuel. Many people organize camping trips, set up tables and chairs, and cook dinner for their families.
The Monte Busca volcanic area has also become a tourist attraction.
In 2008, a mountaineering enthusiast roasted a hare over the Monte Busca fire, then posted online about the dish, describing its "amazing flavor" from the natural fire. This post made Monte Busca a popular tourist attraction.
Today, the Monte Busca volcanic area has also become a tourist attraction. People from many nearby cities come here for picnics, enjoying the natural scenery and taking advantage of the natural fire source.
Accordingly, Monte Busca is considered to have completely lost its 'volcanic pride'.
Despite its small size, Monte Busca is not the world's smallest volcano. The world's smallest volcano is located in a forest in Colombia, measuring less than 3cm in height. Even more astonishing is that, like most volcanoes, it also experiences genuine lava eruptions, rather than simply being fueled by natural gas like Monte Busca.
