FACT CHECK: No, The Volcano In Yellowstone Did Not Erupt
A video shared on Facebook purports Yellowstone National Park has been closed due to sudden, increasing volcanic activity.
Verdict: False
This claim is false. There is no evidence the Yellowstone Caldera has experienced a sudden increase in volcanic or seismic activity.
Fact Check:
The Yellowstone Caldera reportedly has twice as much melted rock than previously estimated, according to New Scientist. Despite the discovery, the level of melted rock is “still well” below the threshold for eruption and does not change the likelihood of such an event, the outlet reported.
The post, viewed over 1,000 times, claims that Yellowstone has announced a closure. The post features a video containing a montage of clips from natural disaster documentaries and movies. “Yellowstone Officials Just Closed Down The Park & Said The Volcanic Uplift Is Rising,” the caption reads. (RELATED: Did Elon Musk Publish This Tweet Saying He Would Be Deleting Twitter?)
The video is incorrect. There is no credible news report that suggests the park is closed due to volcanic activity. There is no announcement on the parks website or verified social media accounts.
Yellowstone does have a volcano, but there is no threat of eruption at this time. The last eruption of the volcano involved rhyolitic lava flows that occurred approximately 70,000 years ago, according to New Scientist.
The Park did issue an alert on their websites that only snow coach travel and snowmobiles will be allowed to traverse the park, while automobiles are off limits due to the winter weather. The National Park Service website does not attribute these closures to any volcanic activity in the area.
This is not the first time false information has spread on social media. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim Donald Trump jailed a Joe Biden aide.