"Narrator:" "OUR WORLD IS LIT BY TWO FIRES..." "ONE ABOVE..." "AND ONE BELOW." "NOTHING CAN CONTAIN THE INFERNO BENEATH OUR FEET." "[PEOPLE YELLING]" "IN THE PAST THOUSAND YEARS," "VOLCANOES HAVE CLAIMED MORE THAN 300,000 LIVES." "NO BEAUTY MORE DEADLY THAN THE FIRE WITHIN." "THE ROCKY HEIGHTS OF THE ANDES, IN SOUTH AMERICA," "ARE MORE THAN MERE MOUNTAINS." "MANY ARE SLEEPING VOLCANOES." "IN COLOMBIA, A PEAK CALLED GALERAS" "HAS SLUMBERED MORE THAN FOUR DECADES." "THEN, IN 1988, SOLDIERS STATIONED AT ITS SUMMIT" "REPORTED SMALL EARTHQUAKES, AND THE SMELL OF SULFUR." "SOME SIX MILES AWAY," "THE CITY OF PASTO IS BUILT ON RICH VOLCANIC SOIL" "THE PRIDE OF LOCAL FARMERS." "GALERAS HAS NEVER HARMED PASTO," "BUT A LARGE ERUPTION COULD THREATEN UP TO 400,000 LIVES." "COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS" "INVITED STANLEY WILLIAMS OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY" "TO WORK WITH LOCAL VOLCANOLOGISTS." "AN EXPERT ON LATIN AMERICAN VOLCANOES," "WILLIAMS HELPED ORGANIZE THE INTERNATIONAL GALERAS WORKSHOP" "IN JANUARY 1993." "Williams:" "EL VOLCAN GALERAS ES EL VOLCAN HISTORICAMENTE" "MAS ACTIVO EN TODO EL COLOMBIA..." "Narrator:" "CLOSE TO A HUNDRED VOLCANOLOGISTS" "FROM 15 NATIONS ATTEND." "AFTER THREE DAYS OF MEETINGS, THEY HEAD FOR THE SUMMIT." "GALERAS HAS BEEN STABLE FOR SIX MONTHS" "A REASSURING SIGN TO WILLIAMS AND HIS COLLEAGUES." "Williams:" "WE WERE VOLCANOLOGISTS WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE." "WE HAD BEEN WORKING FOR FIVE YEARS" "BY THAT TIME ON THIS VOLCANO." "WE THOUGHT WE UNDERSTOOD GALERAS." "IN FACT, WE THOUGHT GALERAS WAS IN A RELATIVELY CALM TIME" "FOR AN ACTIVE VOLCANO." "Narrator:" "MOST SCIENTISTS JOIN FIELD TRIPS" "ON THE OUTER SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAIN." "WILLIAMS LEADS A GROUP OF 12 ON A GRUELING, TWO-HOUR HIKE" "TO THE INNER CRATER." "AS HIS COLLEAGUES EXPLORE THE TERRAIN, WILLIAMS KEEPS WATCH." "Williams:" "EVERYBODY OPENED UP THEIR CASES AND BACKPACKS" "AND COLLECTED SAMPLES OF THE GASES OR READ THE GRAVIMETER." "GEOFF BROWN, PROFESSOR FROM ENGLAND," "IS THE EXPERT OF THE WORLD ON HOW TO USE GRAVITY ON VOLCANOES." "THE TWO COLOMBIAN SCIENTISTS WITH HIM WERE REALLY HAPPY" "THAT THEY HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH GEOFF." "IGOR MENYAILOV IS A RUSSIAN" "WHO COMES FROM A FAMILY OF VOLCANOLOGISTS." "IGOR WAS WORKING THAT DAY WITH NESTOR GARCIA," "AND NESTOR'S A COLOMBIAN-- VERY GOOD FRIEND." "IT WAS AN EXCITING, POSITIVE FIELD DAY." "THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WITH NO WARNING," "WE BEGAN TO HEAR A LOT OF NOISE." "I LOOKED DOWN INTO THE CRATER, AND AT IGOR AND NESTOR," "AND I YELLED, "WE'D BETTER GET OUTTA HERE NOW!"" "I MADE IT RUNNING, NOT VERY FAR, BEFORE," "UH, THE FIRST BIG ROCK KNOCKED A BIG HOLE IN MY HEAD..." "UH, BROKE MY JAW, RUINED MY EAR." "MADE IT ANOTHER 20 OR 30 FEET-- I DON'T KNOW, NOT VERY FAR," "A LOT OF ROCKS HIT ME" "BUT THE NEXT BIG ONE BROKE MY LEFT LEG," "SHATTERED MY RIGHT LEG." "I TRIED TO RUN, BUT MY FOOT WAS DANGLING;" "IT WAS HARDLY ATTACHED TO MY LEG." "I CRAWLED." "THE PROBLEM WAS I WAS ON FIRE," "SO I HAD TO ROLL OVER AND TRY TO GET THE FIRE OUT." "SO I CRAWLED BEHIND A BIG ROCK." "Narrator:" "THE ERUPTION SPARES EVERYONE ON THE OUTER SLOPES." "BUT MEMBERS OF WILLIAMS' GROUP APPEAR AT THE SUMMIT" "WITH GRIM REPORTS." "AT LEAST TWO SCIENTISTS ARE DEAD." "THE NAMES OF THE MISSING ARE QUICKLY TALLIED." "Luis Lemairie [translated]:" "ANDREW, MIKE..." "YO STANLEY Y JOSE ARLES." "Mike Conway:" "LUIS, WITH HELP," "AND ANDREW MCFARLANE, WITH HELP, CAN MAKE IT OUT..." "WITH HELP, NOT BY THEMSELVES." "Andy Adams:" "WE GOTTA SEND SOMEBODY DOWN THERE." "YEAH." "Narrator:" "WITHIN 15 MINUTES, THE ERUPTION IS OVER." "NOW WILLIAMS STRUGGLES TO REMAIN CONSCIOUS." "Williams:" "I HAD HOURS OF TIME" "LYING THERE WITH DEAD PEOPLE VERY CLOSE," "AND, UM, THOUGHT ABOUT GOING HOME" "AND BEING WITH MY WIFE AND KIDS." "I DIDN'T WANT TO DIE, THAT'S FOR SURE." "Narrator:" "LESS THAN THREE HOURS AFTER THE ERUPTION," "RESCUE TEAMS ARRIVE FROM PASTO." "THREE HIKERS AND SIX VOLCANOLOGISTS" "ARE DEAD IN A BLAST NO ONE COULD FORESEE." "SEVERAL BODIES WILL NEVER BE FOUND." "RESCUERS LOCATE WILLIAMS WHEN HE CRIES OUT FOR HELP." "HE'S THE LAST SURVIVOR LIFTED OFF THE MOUNTAIN." "IN 48 HOURS, HE'LL BE FLOWN BY LEAR JET" "TO A HOSPITAL IN ARIZONA." "16 SURGERIES SAVED A MANGLED LEG," "AND PATCHED A HOLE IN WILLIAMS' SKULL." "SKIN GRAFTS HIDE BURNS." "A HEARING AID REMEDIES A RUINED EAR." "ONLY HIS DETERMINATION SURVIVES INTACT." "GALERAS REMAINS A THREAT" "TO THOUSANDS WHO LIVE IN ITS SHADOW..." "A DANGER UNDIMINISHED BY THE TRAGEDY OF NINE DEATHS." "THE LOSS OF FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES BREAKS THE HEART," "BUT STRENGTHENS THE WILL." "Williams:" "I'VE WORKED ON GALERAS NOW FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS," "AND I'VE TRIED HARD" "TO, ESSENTIALLY, GET CONTROL OF GALERAS," "AND GALERAS SAYS, "NO, I CAN'T BE CONTROLLED."" ""HA, I'M MUCH BIGGER THAN YOU, MR. WILLIAMS."" "AND I COME BACK AND SAY," ""NO, I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DO THAT."" ""I'M GOING TO COME BACK,"" ""AND, UH, I'M GOING TO GET ON TOP OF GALERAS,"" "AND I HAVE BEEN ON TOP OF GALERAS." "I'VE BEEN IN THE CRATER AGAIN..." "WE'RE SORT OF BATTLING IT OUT." "Narrator:" "IN THE PAST FIVE DECADES," "NEARLY 30 SCIENTISTS HAVE DIED IN ERUPTIONS." "VOLCANOLOGY IS A YOUNG AND DANGEROUS SCIENCE" "ONE THAT PITS US AGAINST THE POWER OF THE EARTH ITSELF." "WE LIVE ON A FIERY PLANET." "NEARLY 2,000 MILES BENEATH OUR FEET," "THE EARTH'S INNER CORE" "REACHES TEMPERATURES OF 12,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT." "MOLTEN ROCK, OR MAGMA, RISES TO THE EARTH'S SURFACE" "A COLD, RIGID CRUST--FRACTURED INTO SOME 20 PLATES." "WHEN MAGMA BREAKS THROUGH CRUST, IT BECOMES LAVA," "AND GIVES BIRTH TO VOLCANOES." "MOST BLOSSOM ALONG THE UNSTABLE BOUNDARIES" "WHERE ONE PLATE DIVES BENEATH ANOTHER," "OR TWO PLATES SPREAD APART." "EARTH'S OCEANS CONCEAL SOME 80 PERCENT" "OF ALL VOLCANIC ACTIVITY." "AN UNDERWATER RIDGE 46,000 MILES LONG" "MARKS THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN SPREADING PLATES." "LAVA FILLS THE GAPS." "THIS DEEP-SEA FIRE FUELS HOT SPRINGS." "AT MORE THAN 700 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT," "WATER RICH IN SULFUR SUPPORTS AN ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM," "IN THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF SUNLIGHT." "SOME VOLCANOES RISE FROM THE DEEP." "NOVEMBER, 1963..." "JUST SOUTH OF ICELAND," "FISHERMEN REPORT EXPLOSIONS." "WITHIN DAYS, THE WINDSWEPT ISLE OF SURTSEY IS BORN." "EARTH'S FIRE ALSO FORGED A TROPICAL PARADISE." "THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ARE THE WORK" "OF A SINGLE PLUME OF MAGMA" "BURNING ITS WAY ACROSS THE PACIFIC PLATE." "THERE MAY BE NO FINER SETTING" "FOR THE SPECTACLE OF THE LIVING EARTH." "WITH NEARLY CONTINUOUS ERUPTIONS DATING BACK TO 1790," "KILAUEA IS THE MOST ACTIVE VOLCANO ON EARTH" "AND ONE OF THE MOST BENIGN." "AT 2,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT," "ITS FLUID LAVA CAN FLOW FOR MILES," "AND RUIN REAL ESTATE." "BUT IT CAN GENERALLY BE ESCAPED AT A BRISK WALK." "THIS CONGENIAL FIRE" "HAS BEEN ATTRACTING TOURISTS FOR OVER A CENTURY." "IT ALSO CAPTURED THE ATTENTION" "OF AN EMINENT EAST COAST GEOLOGIST, THOMAS JAGGAR." "HE BELIEVED, "THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW A CRATER"" ""IS TO LIVE WITH IT."" "A VISIT TO KILAUEA IN 1909 CONVINCED HIM" "HE HAD FOUND THE MOST LIVABLE VOLCANO IN THE WORLD." "IN JAGGAR'S DAY, "VOLCANOLOGY" MEANT LITTLE MORE" "THAN A SHORT-TERM EXPEDITION TO THE AFTERMATH" "OF A MAJOR ERUPTION." "IT WAS TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE." "IN 1912, JAGGAR FOUNDED WHAT, TODAY, IS CALLED" "THE HAWAII VOLCANO OBSERVATORY." "SERVING THREE DECADES AS DIRECTOR," "HE MEASURED EARTHQUAKES, COLLECTED GASES," "AND CHARTED SUBTLE CHANGES IN KILAUEA'S SLOPES." "EVENTUALLY, HE SUCCESSFULLY PREDICTED SEVERAL ERUPTIONS." "MANY CONSIDER HIM A FOUNDING FATHER OF MODERN VOLCANOLOGY." "TODAY, HAWAII'S VOLCANOES ARE THE BEST STUDIED IN THE WORLD." "DECADES OF FIRSTHAND OBSERVATIONS" "ARE REVEALING PATTERNS AND PRECURSORS." "PREDICTING ERUPTIONS IS ALMOST..." "ROUTINE." "EACH VOLCANO IS UNIQUE, WITH ITS OWN PULSE, ITS OWN LIFE CYCLE." "BUT ONE RULE OF FORECASTING APPLIES TO ALL:" ""THE KEY TO THE FUTURE IS THE PAST."" "SAKURAJIMA..." "THE "ISLAND OF FIRE," IN SOUTHERN JAPAN." "A NOBLEMAN COMMISSIONED THESE WATERCOLORS" "TO COMMEMORATE AN ERUPTION IN 1779." "WRITTEN ACCOUNTS OF THIS VOLCANO'S FURY" "DATE BACK TO THE EIGHTH CENTURY." "SAKURAJIMA IS HOME TO SOME 7,000 PEOPLE." "ANOTHER HALF MILLION LIVE JUST ACROSS THE BAY." "THIS IS LIFE AT THE FOOT OF AN ACTIVE VOLCANO." "SAKURAJIMA HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY ACTIVE SINCE 1955." "[THUNDER]" "IT ERUPTS UP TO 400 TIMES A YEAR," "AND DROPS MILLIONS OF TONS OF ASH ON ITS SURROUNDINGS." "LOCAL SCIENTISTS FORECAST THESE OUTBREAKS" "WITH IMPRESSIVE ACCURACY." "RESIDENTS TUNE IN FOR ASHFALL REPORTS." "ERUPTIONS ARE AS COMMONPLACE AS CHANGES IN THE WEATHER..." "AND ASH CLEAN-UP IS A WAY OF LIFE." "SOIL ENRICHED WITH ASH" "YIELDS PRIME PRODUCE, SUCH AS LOQUATS." "BUT EACH FRUIT REQUIRES INDIVIDUAL PROTECTION" "FROM AIRBORNE ASSAULTS..." "AS DOES EVERY SCHOOL CHILD ON SAKURAJIMA." "MOST ASH COLLECTS ON THE VOLCANO'S SLOPES, HARMLESS..." "UNTIL IT RAINS." "IN A FLASH, RIVERS CAN SWELL INTO MUDFLOWS" "THAT WASH OUT ROADS AND BRIDGES." "SAFETY CHANNELS EQUIPPED WITH SENSORS AND SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS" "HELP CONTAIN THE THREAT." "VOLCANIC MUDFLOWS CAN TRAVEL UP TO 40 MILES AN HOUR," "AND SWEEP UP BOULDERS THE SIZE OF CARS." "WHEN THE RAINS END," "TONS OF DEPOSITS ARE DUMPED IN THE SEA." "IT'S A MODEL SYSTEM," "BUT AT ANY MOMENT, SAKURAJIMA COULD BREAK ALL THE RULES." "1914..." "LAVA BURIES SIX VILLAGES..." "MORE THAN HALF THE ISLANDERS LOSE THEIR HOMES." "23 DROWN TRYING TO SWIM TO THE MAINLAND." "[AIR RAID HORN SOUNDS]" "THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1914 DISASTER" "IS OBSERVED EACH YEAR WITH AN EVACUATION DRILL." "FOR A DAY, RESIDENTS ABANDON THEIR HOMES TO THE VOLCANO." "A LONG, FAMILIAR HISTORY OF ERUPTIONS" "KEEPS THESE VOLCANO-DWELLERS VIGILANT." "CONSIDER THEM LUCKY." "MOST VOLCANOES LAY QUIET FOR CENTURIES," "THEN TAKE US BY SURPRISE." "A FEW OF THE DEADLIEST HAVE BEEN LABELED "EXTINCT."" "SOME 35 CENTURIES AGO, A MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND" "SPARKLES WITH ART AND SCIENCE." "THEN, SUDDENLY, SANTORINI BLOWS ITSELF APART." "SEAWATER RUSHES IN WHERE ONCE STOOD A MOUNTAIN," "AND A CIVILIZATION VANISHES BENEATH THE WAVES." "THE LEGEND OF ATLANTIS STILL HAUNTS THE PLACE TODAY." "79 AD..." "FEW RESIDENTS OF POMPEII" "REALIZE MOUNT VESUVIUS IS A VOLCANO." "THOSE WHO KNOW BELIEVE IT WILL NOT HARM THEM." "SHOWERS OF SCALDING ASH SEAL THEM IN THEIR FINAL AGONY." "1815..." "MOUNT TAMBORA, INDONESIA..." "SOME 20 CUBIC MILES OF DEBRIS ARE LAUNCHED SKY-HIGH." "MOST FALL BACK TO EARTH." "BUT A CLOUD OF ASH CIRCLES THE GLOBE FOR SEVERAL YEARS," "BLOCKING THE SUN." "1816 IS THE "YEAR WITHOUT A SUMMER."" "IN EUROPE AND NEW ENGLAND, SNOW FALLS IN JULY." "CROPS FAIL, AND 80,000 STARVE." "IT'S THE MOST POWERFUL ERUPTION IN THE LAST 10,000 YEARS." "BY CONTRAST, THE 1980 EXPLOSION OF MOUNT SAINT HELENS" "WAS ALMOST 80 TIMES SMALLER." "YET, IT PACKED THE PUNCH OF 500 ATOMIC BOMBS." "MAGMA CONTAINS GASES THAT EXPAND VIOLENTLY" "AS THEY REACH EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE." "IT'S LIKE PULLING THE CORK ON A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE" "THE SIZE OF MOUNT EVEREST." "A VOLCANO NEED NOT EXPLODE TO BE DEADLY." "LAVA TOO THICK TO FLOW CAN OOZE UP SLOWLY," "AND FORM A TEETERING HEAP OF HOT ROCK." "COLLAPSE TRIGGERS A SEARING AVALANCHE OF PULVERIZED ROCK," "GAS, AND ASH CALLED A PYROCLASTIC FLOW." "AT 2,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND MORE THAN 100 MILES AN HOUR," "IT CONSUMES NEARLY EVERYTHING." "1902..." "THE CARIBBEAN TOWN OF SAINT PIERRE" "PROSPERS AT THE FOOT OF A SLEEPING GIANT" "UNTIL MAY 8th, WHEN MOUNT PELEE UNLEASHES A PYROCLASTIC FLOW." "IN TWO MINUTES, 30,000 PEOPLE ARE INCINERATED." "ONE SURVIVES." "THOUGH BADLY BURNED, THIS PRISONER WAS SOMEHOW PROTECTED" "BY THE THICK WALLS OF HIS CELL." "ELSEWHERE, THE DEVASTATION IS EERIE." "PYROCLASTIC FLOWS ARE VIRTUALLY UNPREDICTABLE" "AND RELATIVELY RARE." "MANY VOLCANOLOGISTS HAVE SEEN THEM ONLY IN PHOTOGRAPHS." "[VOLCANO RUMBLES]" "MAY, 1991..." "SOUTHERN JAPAN..." "MOUNT UNZEN SERVES UP AN EXTRAVAGANZA:" "SOME 35 PYROCLASTIC FLOWS A DAY." "THE FLOWS ARE SMALL," "BUT A VILLAGE LIES TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT." "EVACUATIONS ARE ORDERED." "[ANNOUNCES OVER LOUDSPEAKER]" "FROM A SAFE DISTANCE, VILLAGERS FIND THE SPECTACLE IRRESISTIBLE." "NO LESS CAPTIVATED," "JOURNALISTS AND VOLCANOLOGISTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE" "FLOCK TO THE SCENE--AMONG THEM MAURICE AND KATIA KRAFFT." "IN THE VOLCANO WORLD, THESE ARE SUPERSTARS." "Katia:" "HERE YOU HAVE A PYROCLASTIC FLOW." "YEAH..." "IT DON'T OCCUR ALL THE TIME." "WHEN YOU HAVE LAVA FLOW, THEN IT WILL HAPPEN ALL THE TIME." "IT'S WHY THIS IS SO INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU HAVE VERY FEW." "Narrator:" "AFTER MORE THAN TWO DECADES OF FILMING ERUPTIONS," "THE KRAFFTS HAVE A DISCRIMINATING EYE." "TODAY, UNZEN UNDERWHELMS." "Maurice:" "THIS IS ONE OF THE SMALLEST PYROCLASTIC FLOW I HAVE SEEN." "I HOPE TO SEE BIGGER ONE THAN THIS ONE" "BECAUSE THIS IS VERY SMALL, REALLY, YES." "Narrator:" "THIS IS NO IDLE BLUSTER;" "MAURICE AND KATIA KRAFFT HAVE PROBABLY SEEN MORE ERUPTIONS," "AT MORE VOLCANOES, THAN ANYONE ON EARTH." "THE KRAFFTS HAIL FROM FRANCE," "BUT "HOME" IS WHEREVER THE EARTH BREATHES FIRE." "Maurice:" "FOR ME, AN ACTIVE VOLCANO," "ESPECIALLY VOLCANOES THAT I KNOW VERY WELL," "THOSE ARE LIKE FRIENDS." "THERE REALLY IS A SORT OF DIALOGUE" "BETWEEN THE VOLCANO AND ME." "I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY." "Katia:" "FOR ME, THE DANGER IS NOT IMPORTANT." "I AM AFRAID WHEN I GO IN A CAR, BUT ON VOLCANOES," "I FORGET EVERYTHING AND THERE IS NO MORE DANGER FOR ME." "Narrator:" "FOR THE KRAFFTS, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANOTHER CALLING." "Maurice:" "I FELL IN LOVE WITH VOLCANOES WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD." "I SAW MY FIRST VOLCANO WITH MY FATHER, STROMBOLI, IN ITALY." "AND THIS WAS REALLY A DISCOVERY FOR ME," "TO SEE A MOUNTAIN, A SORT OF CONE," "AND AT THE TOP TO HAVE A FIRE, TO HAVE EXPLOSION EVERY MINUTE," "WAS FANTASTIC." "AND I HAVE SEEN THIS ERUPTION FROM VERY NEAR." "AND I WAS REALLY FASCINATED, SO I DECIDED TO BECOME GEOLOGIST." "Katia:" "I FELL IN LOVE WITHOUT SEEING ACTIVE VOLCANOES." "I HAVE SEEN FILMS AND PHOTOS AND WAS," "UH, INTERESTED IN GEOLOGY," "AND SO I DECIDED TO BE VOLCANOLOGIST." "AND ONLY TWO YEARS LATER, I ASKED TO MY PARENTS" "TO GO TO ITALY TO SEE REALLY THE VOLCANO." "AND I WAS ALSO IMPRESSED WHEN I SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME" "WHAT I WISH TO DO." "Maurice:" "WE MET, IN FACT, AT THE UNIVERSITY." "I WAS IN GEOLOGY AND KATIA WAS IN GEOCHEMISTRY." "SO I WAS CRAZY ABOUT VOLCANOES, SHE WAS CRAZY ABOUT VOLCANOES," "AND SO, WE LOVED EACH OTHER AFTER;" "IT'S AN AFTER-EFFECT OF LOVING VOLCANOES." "WHEN WE WENT TO VOLCANO, IN ITALY," "WE WERE A GROUP OF FRIENDS-- WE WERE STUDENTS AT THIS TIME" "IN GEOLOGY, IN GEOCHEMISTRY, AND SO ON" "SO WE STAYED AT THE FOOT OF THE VOLCANO," "AND WE WERE MAKING A LOT OF RESEARCH," "BUT WITH A VERY LOW AMOUNT OF MONEY." "AND I REMEMBER THAT WE DON'T HAD SO MUCH CLOTHES AT THIS TIME," "BUT THOSE GASSES ARE SO ACID" "THAT OUR CLOTHES WERE COMPLETELY BURNED WITH A LOT OF HOLES IN IT" "BECAUSE OF THE GASES." "SO, AFTER TWO OR THREE DAYS," "WE WERE LOOKING REALLY LIKE BEGGARS." "Narrator:" "FROM THE START," "THE KRAFFTS PHOTOGRAPHED THEIR FIELDWORK." "SOON, FILMS AND PHOTOS BECAME THEIR BREAD AND BUTTER." "THROUGH THE LENS," "THEY WOULD SHARE THEIR PASSION FOR VOLCANOES" "WITH THE ENTIRE WORLD." "ICELAND, 1973..." "THE ISLE OF HEIMAEY WAS ABANDONED IN A SINGLE NIGHT." "ON THIS EMPTY STAGE, THE KRAFFTS STOOD SPELLBOUND." "Maurice:" "MY WORK IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER VOLCANOLOGISTS BECAUSE" "WHEN I SEE AN ERUPTION, SOMETIMES IT'S SO NICE" "THAT I JUST DROP MY INSTRUMENTS AND LOOK." "THAT IS TO SAY, I CANNOT ONLY STUDY THE ERUPTION." "I WANT ALSO TO FILM VOLCANOES, TO SHOW IT TO OTHER PEOPLE." "SO I AM AS MUCH INTERESTED IN AESTHETIC THAN IN SCIENCE." "Narrator:" "AS WAS OFTEN THE CASE," "THE KRAFFTS WERE THE ONLY FOREIGN FILMMAKERS ON THE SCENE." "KATIA AND MAURICE HAD NO CHILDREN," "NO ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS, NOTHING TO TIE THEM DOWN." "ONE YEAR THEY CIRCLED THE GLOBE EIGHT TIMES." "TANZANIA, 1988..." "THEY SHOT THE FIRST FOOTAGE OF LAVA FLOWS" "AT A UNIQUE VOLCANO CALLED LENGAI." "Maurice:" "I THINK, REALLY, TO SEE LENGAI FROM NEAR" "IS SOMETHING THAT IS OUTSIDE THE EARTH." "I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH AN UNUSUAL VOLCANO THAN THIS ONE." "AND WHAT IS VERY PECULIAR FOR THIS VOLCANO" "IS THAT THOSE LAVA ARE BLACK;" "IT'S NOT MUD, IT'S LAVA." "AND ONCE YOU SEE THOSE BLACK LAVA FLOWS" "GOING HERE AND THERE IN THIS CRATER, 24 HOURS AFTER EMISSION, THOSE BLACK LAVA BECAME WHITE." "Katia:" "WE WERE VERY SURPRISED BY THE FLUIDITY OF THIS LAVA," "AND WITH THIS LOW TEMPERATURE," "BECAUSE IT'S ONLY 500 DEGREES CELSIUS." "AND TO TAKE THE SAMPLES, THE FLUID LAVA WITH A SPOON." "AND WHAT WAS VERY EXCITING ALSO THAT, IN THE NIGHT," "IT WAS RED, LIKE OTHER LAVA." "Narrator:" "THE KRAFFTS NEVER DENIED" "THE DARK SIDE OF VOLCANOES..." "THE FACE OF HUMAN SUFFERING..." "THE NUMBING DEVASTATION." "FOR UNESCO, THEY BEGAN PRODUCING SAFETY FILMS" "ON VOLCANIC HAZARDS, SHOWN AROUND THE WORLD." "FOOTAGE OF AFTERMATH WAS IMPRESSIVE," "BUT THE KRAFFTS AIMED TO CAPTURE PYROCLASTIC FLOWS IN ACTION." "ALASKA, 1986..." "A CLOSE ENCOUNTER ON THE SLOPES OF AUGUSTINE" "PRODUCED AMAZING FOOTAGE--AND WHET THEIR APPETITE FOR MORE." "Maurice:" "WE HAVE SEEN SO MUCH BIG ERUPTIONS" "THAT NOW WE WANTED TO SEE BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER," "AND THESE DON'T HAPPEN SO OFTEN, SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO WAIT" "A ONE YEAR OR EVEN TWO YEARS TO SEE SOMETHING REALLY ENORMOUS" "AND MORE ENORMOUS IT IS, BETTER IT IS FOR ME." "Narrator:" "THE QUEST LEADS THEM TO MOUNT UNZEN IN 1991." "THEY SET UP CAMP INSIDE THE EVACUATION ZONE" "INDIFFERENT TO THE POSSIBLE DANGER." "Maurice:" "I AM NEVER AFRAID." "BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN SO MUCH ERUPTIONS IN 23 YEARS THAT," "UM..." "EVEN IF I DIE TOMORROW, I DON'T CARE." "[CAR STARTS]" "Narrator:" "ON JUNE 3rd, MAURICE, KATIA," "AND A BEVY OF JOURNALISTS MOVE TO A VALLEY" "ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE SUMMIT." "IT'S A FATAL MISCALCULATION." "SOMETHING TRIGGERS A PYROCLASTIC FLOW" "ABOUT 10 TIMES BIGGER THAN ALL THAT CAME BEFORE." "WITHIN MOMENTS, IT OVERWHELMS THE VALLEY." "[SIREN WAILS]" "BY THE TIME A TV CAMERA IN THE VILLAGE RECORDS THIS SCENE," "MAURICE, KATIA, AND 41 OTHERS ARE DEAD." "SURELY, NO ONE LOVED VOLCANOES" "BETTER THAN MAURICE AND KATIA KRAFFT." "EVERY TIME WE MARVEL AT THEIR FILMS," "WE ARE SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH THEIR EYES." "AND FOR A MOMENT, IT'S AS THOUGH THEY ARE WITH US AGAIN." "NOVEMBER 13th, 1985..." "A COLOMBIAN VOLCANO, NEVADO DEL RUIZ," "ERUPTS AROUND NINE P.M." "PART OF ITS SUMMIT GLACIER MELTS." "WATER CASCADES DOWN CANYONS," "STRIPPING THEM OF SOIL, TREES, BOULDERS." "SOON, THE MUDFLOW IS 130 FEET DEEP." "JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT, NEARLY 30 MILES FROM THE VOLCANO," "IT ENGULFS A CITY CALLED ARMERO." "23,000 PEOPLE ARE BURIED ALIVE." "ONLY WEEKS EARLIER, SCIENTISTS HAD SURVEYED THE VOLCANO" "AND DETERMINED ARMERO WAS AT RISK." "SOMEHOW, THEIR REPORT WAS SHELVED." "YET, A SIMPLE EVACUATION PLAN COULD HAVE SAVED THOUSANDS." "ON THE RUINS OF ARMERO, VOLCANOLOGISTS VOWED," ""NEVER AGAIN."" "ONE YEAR LATER, THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY" "HELPED CREATE A UNIQUE PROGRAM." "50 MILES FROM MOUNT SAINT HELENS," "THE CASCADES VOLCANO OBSERVATORY IS HOMEBASE" "FOR THE VOLCANO CRISIS ASSISTANCE TEAM." "WITH A CACHE OF PORTABLE MONITORING EQUIPMENT," "THE FIVE-MAN TEAM CAN MOBILIZE AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE." "Dan Miller:" "HEY GUYS, I JUST GOT A REQUEST..." "Narrator:" "A MISSION BEGINS WHEN A FOREIGN NATION" "ASKS FOR HELP IN ASSESSING A VOLCANIC THREAT." "ANDY LOCKHART HAS 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN RAPID RESPONSE." "Lockhart:" "IF THERE IS A TYPICAL MISSION," "IT WOULD CONSIST OF GETTING THE CALL ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON," "GOING TO THE BOOKS, FINDING OUT IF IT'S A VOLCANO" "THAT WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT." "IF IT'S A FULL BLOWN RESPONSE, WE'D TAKE AN ENTIRE OBSERVATORY." "WE'D TAKE ALL OF THE SENSORS, ALL OF THE COMPUTERS" "AND THAT TAKES SOME PUTTING TOGETHER." "Narrator:" "LOCKHART AND HIS TEAMMATES HAVE SEEN ACTION" "AT MORE THAN 15 VOLCANOES IN 13 COUNTRIES." "THEIR MOST MEMORABLE MISSION TOOK THEM TO THE PHILIPPINES." "APRIL 2nd, 1991..." "55 MILES NORTHWEST OF MANILA..." "PLUMES OF STEAM ARE SPOTTED AT THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT PINATUBO" "BY TRIBESMEN WHO HAVE LIVED ON ITS SLOPES FOR GENERATIONS." "THEY'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS." "WORD REACHES RAY PUNONGBAYAN," "DIRECTOR OF THE PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE" "FOR VOLCANOLOGY AND SEISMOLOGY IN MANILA." "HE HAS FOUR SEISMOGRAPHS INSTALLED NEAR THE VOLCANO." "Punongbayan:" "THEY REPORTED THAT THEY WERE RECORDING," "UH, OVER 400 VOLCANIC QUAKES AND THAT'S UNUSUAL." "RIGHT THEN AND THERE, I SAID THAT SOMETHING UNUSUAL" "IS HAPPENING INSIDE THE VOLCANO." "Narrator:" "THE REPORTS AROUSE CONCERN AT CLARK AIR BASE," "JUST 15 MILES FROM PINATUBO." "AT THE REQUEST OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE" "AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES," "A TEAM FROM THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY" "ARRIVES AT CLARK ON APRIL 23rd." "THEY BEGIN BRIEFING A CRISIS ACTION TEAM" "DIRECTED BY COLONEL RICHARD ANDEREGG." "Anderegg:" "I THINK I WAS LIKE MOST PEOPLE" "I DIDN'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT VOLCANOES" "UNTIL THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TEAM" "CAME HERE--IT WAS A TOTAL EDUCATIONAL PROCESS FOR ME." "I HAD, YOU KNOW-- WHEN I THOUGHT OF A VOLCANO," "I THOUGHT OF A VOLCANO LIKE IN HAWAII," "WHERE THE LAVA FLOWS OUT AT A NICE LEISURELY PACE," "AND PEOPLE TAKE PICTURES OF IT," "AND IT'S A, A VERY PRETTY THING TO WATCH." "Narrator:" "A JOINT U.S.-PHILIPPINE SCIENCE TEAM" "SEES A DIFFERENT PICTURE FROM THE AIR." "PINATUBO HAS NO WRITTEN HISTORY OF ERUPTIONS," "BUT IT'S SURROUNDED BY" "HUGE DEPOSITS OF ANCIENT PYROCLASTIC FLOWS." "LOCKHART AND HIS TEAMMATES SEE THE THREAT IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT." "Man:" "I THINK IT'S JUST ASH, ANDY." "Man 2:" "THAT'S COMING UP OUT OF THE GROUND." "WE'VE GOT A SERIOUS PROBLEM." "Narrator:" "FOR TWO WEEKS, THEY INSTALL A MONITORING NETWORK" "ON RIDGES AROUND THE VOLCANO." "LOCKHART OUTFITS EACH STATION WITH A RADIO TRANSMITTER" "THAT SENDS DATA TO A MAKESHIFT OBSERVATORY ON CLARK." "PINATUBO'S ACTIVITY INCREASES DAILY." "THE SCIENCE TEAM URGES LOCAL AUTHORITIES" "TO CONSIDER EVACUATIONS." "Punongbayan:" "IT'S A BIG RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SENSE THAT" "YOU ARE CAUSING PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR ABODE" "AND TRANSFER TO EVACUATION CENTERS," "AND SUFFER THERE AND WAIT FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN." "AND IF NOTHING HAPPENS, THEN, UH, OUR REPUTATION IS AT STAKE." "SO WE WERE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THAT." "Narrator:" "JUNE 5th..." "SWARMS OF EARTHQUAKES PROMPT A LEVEL-THREE ALERT:" ""ERUPTION POSSIBLE WITHIN TWO WEEKS."" "20,000 FILIPINOS LIVING WITHIN SIX MILES OF THE SUMMIT" "ARE ORDERED TO RELOCATE TO TEMPORARY SHELTERS." "BUT THE AIR FORCE STAYS PUT." "SCIENTISTS BRIEF THE SENIOR OFFICER AT CLARK," "GENERAL WILLIAM STUDER." "THEY ADMIT THERE IS A CHANCE THE VOLCANO MAY NOT ERUPT AT ALL." "JUNE 7th..." "PINATUBO RELEASES CLOUDS OF ASH." "THE SCIENCE TEAM ISSUES A LEVEL-FOUR ALERT:" ""ERUPTION POSSIBLE WITHIN 24 HOURS."" "Man:" "SHAKE AND BAKE..." "CACTUS 3-0, HOW DO YOU READ?" "2-6-3, POINT NINER..." "Narrator:" "MOST OMINOUS IS THE APPEARANCE OF A PLUG OF THICK LAVA" "THE KIND THAT GENERATES PYROCLASTIC FLOWS." "GENERAL STUDER WANTS TO SEE IT FOR HIMSELF." "LOCKHART REMEMBERS" "HIS CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER SCIENTIST." "Lockhart:" "THE GENERAL SAYS, "GOD, THAT'S A LOT OF ASH!"" "AND HOBLITT SAYS, "THAT'S NOTHIN'!"" "AND HE POINTS OUT THESE BIG IGNIMBRITE SHEETS," "THESE THINGS THAT LOOK LIKE A JAPANESE PARASOL" "STRETCHING OUT 10 KILOMETERS IN EVERY DIRECTION FROM THE VOLCANO" "AND SAYS, "SEE THESE BIG SHEETS OUT HERE?"" ""THIS IS WHAT THIS VOLCANO DOES WHEN IT ERUPTS."" "AND THEN WE WHEEL AROUND IN THE HELICOPTER AND HE SAYS," ""THERE'S YOUR BASE DOWN THERE," AND YOU COULD SEE IT" "VERY OBVIOUSLY AT THE LEADING EDGE" "OF ONE OF THESE SHEETS THAT CAME DOWN THAT VALLEY." "AND SO, WE HEADED BACK TO THE BASE," "AND THE GENERAL SAYS TO JEFF GRIME," "HE SAYS, UM, "DO IT TOMORROW."" "Narrator:" "WITH THOSE WORDS," "STUDER ORDERS THE EVACUATION OF CLARK." "ON JUNE 10th, SOME 14,000 AMERICANS" "LEAVE FOR A NAVY FACILITY 25 MILES AWAY." "A SMALL SECURITY FORCE, AND THE SCIENCE TEAM STAY BEHIND." "Lockhart:" "AFTER THE BASE WAS EVACUATED ON JUNE 10th," "WE FELT TWO WAYS ABOUT IT:" "ONE, THAT IT COULD HAPPEN ANY TIME," "AND THE PEOPLE WERE GONNA BE SAFE." "ON THE OTHER HAND, NOW THAT THE BASE WAS EVACUATED," "THE CLOCK WAS REALLY STARTING TO TICK." "Narrator:" "A CENTURY OF VOLCANOLOGY IS PUT TO THE TEST." "FROM AFAR, AN ENTIRE NATION AWAITS THE UNKNOWN." "JUNE 12th, 8:51 A.M..." "THE WAIT IS OVER." "[BOOM!" "]" "PINATUBO BLOWS AN ASH COLUMN NEARLY 12 MILES INTO THE SKY." "COMMUNITIES 50 MILES AWAY ARE SHOWERED WITH ASH AND SAND." "ERUPTIONS CONTINUE FOR TWO DAYS." "THE EVACUATION RADIUS IS ENLARGED." "MORE THAN 80,000 PEOPLE LEAVE THEIR HOMES." "CLARK RADAR NOW SHOWS A MAJOR TYPHOON" "HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THE PHILIPPINES." "EXHAUSTED FROM ROUND-THE-CLOCK SHIFTS," "THE SCIENCE TEAM SUSPECTS THE WORST IS YET TO COME." "JUNE 15th, 2:00 A.M..." "PINATUBO'S FINALE BEGINS." "[BOOM!" "]" "AT DAWN, PYROCLASTIC FLOWS" "STREAM DOWN THE VOLCANO'S FLANKS." "THERE'S CONCERN ITS ENTIRE SUMMIT MAY BE COLLAPSING." "ASHFALL TURNS 10 A.M. BLACK AS MIDNIGHT." "WHEN THE TYPHOON COMES ASHORE," "RAIN AND ASH MIX LIKE WET CONCRETE." "CONTINUOUS BLASTS OVERWHELM MONITORING STATIONS." "IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY" "THAT PYROCLASTIC FLOWS MIGHT REACH CLARK." "Lockhart:" "I WENT OUT TO LOOK OUT THE FRONT DOOR," "AND I WAS STANDING THERE LOOKING INTO THE DARKNESS." "YOU COULD SEE SOME RUNWAY LIGHTS" "ABOUT A QUARTER MILE AWAY FROM US," "LOOKING TOWARDS PINATUBO..." "LITTLE LINE OF RED LIGHTS..." "AND I THOUGHT, WELL, IF IT COMES DOWN THIS FAR," "IT'LL, IT'LL CUT THOSE LIGHTS" "AND I'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IF IT CUTS THOSE LIGHTS." "AND IF IT CUTS THOSE LIGHTS, I'LL RUN LIKE HELL" "TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE ROOM, AND THAT'S ABOUT 400 YARDS." "IF IT'S COMING 60 MILES AN HOUR," "THAT'LL GIVE ME ABOUT ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE IT" "TO THE BACK OF THE ROOM, FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH." "AND THAT WAS THE MOST TERRIFIED I THINK I'VE EVER BEEN" "STANDING THERE, LOOKING AT THOSE LIGHTS," "LISTENING TO THAT ERUPTION." "Narrator:" "AROUND 2 P.M., THE LARGEST EXPLOSION YET" "KNOCKS OUT ALL BUT ONE OF THE MONITORING STATIONS." "Anderegg:" "I NOTICED THAT WITHOUT MUCH BIG ADO," "AND REALLY NO ORGANIZATION," "EACH OF THE VOLCANOLOGIST WAS MAKING SURE" "HE HAD HIS NAPSACK PACKED WITH THE KINDS OF THINGS" "THAT, IF HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE," "HE COULD GRAB VERY QUICKLY." "AND WHEN THAT PARTICULARLY LARGE ERUPTION OCCURRED" "ABOUT THREE OF THOSE GUYS TURNED AROUND" "AND PICKED UP THEIR BAGS UP OFF THE FLOOR," "AND THEY WEREN'T SLOWING DOWN WHEN THEY WENT OUT THE DOOR." "SO, I FIGURED IF IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM," "IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE REST OF US." "Narrator:" "CLARK IS FINALLY ABANDONED." "AROUND MIDNIGHT, THE ERUPTION IS OVER." "BY MORNING, PEOPLE RETURN TO TOWNS CRUSHED BY ASH." "COLLAPSED BUILDINGS CLAIM 300 LIVES." "BUT TENS OF THOUSANDS ARE SAVED" "IN THE LARGEST EVACUATION EVER STAGED" "AS A RESULT OF ERUPTION FORECASTS." "FOR VOLCANOLOGY, IT'S AN UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS." "STILL, PINATUBO'S SUMMIT IS GONE," "IN THE LARGEST ERUPTION ON EARTH IN HALF A CENTURY." "OVER TWO CUBIC MILES OF DEBRIS BLANKET THE LANDSCAPE." "RAIN WREAKS HAVOC WITH THESE LOOSE DEPOSITS." "IN THE DAYS AFTER THE ERUPTION," "MUDFLOWS CLAIM HUNDREDS OF LIVES." "[BABY CRIES]" "WITH EACH TYPHOON SEASON," "MUDFLOWS CLAIM MORE HOMES AND MORE LIVES." "SOME TWO MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED." "ECHOES OF THE ERUPTION ARE LIKELY TO PLAGUE THE REGION" "WELL INTO THE 21st CENTURY." "TODAY, PINATUBO SLEEPS AGAIN." "BUT FOR HOW LONG?" "THE EARTH HARBORS SOME 1,500 POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS VOLCANOES." "MORE THAN HALF A BILLION PEOPLE LIVE WITHIN THEIR REACH." "TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH VOLCANOES" "MAY BE LITTLE MORE THAN WISHFUL THINKING." "BUT FOR BETTER OR WORSE, WE COULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT THEM." "IF NOT FOR THE FIRE WITHIN," "THE EARTH WOULD BE A BARREN SPHERE," "WORN SMOOTH AS A BLUE MARBLE." "VOLCANOES PROVIDE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR PLANET." "THEY BUILD MOUNTAINS, AND CREATE NEW LAND." "THEIR FIREWORKS RECYCLE LIFE-GIVING GASES AND MINERALS." "MOST ATOMS IN OUR BODIES WERE ONCE INSIDE THE EARTH." "VOLCANOES BROUGHT THESE ATOMS TO THE SURFACE." "NO MATTER WHERE WE LIVE," "WE HAVE ALL BEEN TOUCHED BY FIRE." "CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY HENNINGER DIGITAL CAPTIONING"