Guest commentary by David Middleton

I?m sure many WUWT readers have seen the headlines and videos.

All volcanoes are dangerous

I would normally follow up ?Volcanoes are dangerous? with ?No schist Sherlock?? Then again, I?ve seen idiot tourists crossing safety barriers at Grand Canyon NP and eating a picnic lunch in the forest at Grand Tetons NP ? right under a sign that said, ?No Open Food Containers. Bears Present?. There?s a reason the park gift shop sells fire extinguisher-sized pepper spray dispensers.

No active volcano is safe. Neither are dormant volcanoes. White Island was exceptionally unsafe.

I ran across this article some time ago, when researching a possible post on volcanoes:

ERIK KLEMETTI
SCIENCE
08.06.12
How Dangerous is Visiting New Zealand?s White Island?

THERE HAS ALWAYSbeen a fragile relationship between volcanoes and tourism.

[?]

However, the danger…