The witch, the wasteland and the gateway to Hell: Iceland’s volcanoes and their hazards

Iceland has become a popular travel destination and a favoured location for Earth and environmental science fieldwork. Iceland’s volcanoes periodically feature in news headlines and events over the last ten years remind us that Icelandic volcanic activity can have transboundary impacts with disruptions to modern society. This article reviews recent Icelandic volcanic activity and uses it as a frame with which to highlight some historic eruptions, volcanic hazards and their impacts. The article also considers some of the challenges associated with securing reliable information and managing risks from Iceland’s volcanoes, particularly in the context of research on the potential impacts of future volcanic eruptions.