If you’re looking at the skyline of eastern Sicily right now, you aren’t seeing a sleeping giant. You’re seeing a mountain that is very much awake and, honestly, a bit restless.
Is Mt Etna erupting now? The short answer is yes. But it’s not the "evacuate the city" kind of eruption you see in disaster movies. Since the start of 2026, Etna has been putting on a masterclass in effusive and explosive activity. On New Year's Day, a fresh fracture opened up on the northwestern wall of the Valle del Bove, sending rivers of lava down into the uninhabited volcanic basin.
It’s spectacular. It’s also complicated.
While the lava isn't currently knocking on anyone's front door in Milo or Fornazzo, the mountain is definitely sending a message. The INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology) in Catania has been tracking this latest phase closely. They’ve noted that while the main lava fronts have slowed down and begun to cool near the 1,360-meter mark, the summit craters—especially Voragine and the North-East Crater—are still huffing and puffing with Strombolian activity.
The 2026 Fracture: Why This One Feels Different
Most people think Etna only erupts from the top. That’s a myth. This latest event is a "flank eruption," which is basically the volcano deciding to take a shortcut through its side rather than pushing everything out the summit.
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On January 1, 2026, two new vents opened up near Mount Simone at an elevation of roughly 2,100 meters. For the locals, this was a "Fire New Year." Within hours, lava was snaking its way toward Rocca Musarra. By the first week of January, the flow had stretched over 3 kilometers long.
If you’re a tourist, this is where things get tricky.
Because the eruption happened at a relatively low altitude compared to the summit, authorities got nervous. They’ve slapped a Yellow Alert on the area. This has sparked a bit of a local civil war between the mountain guides and the government.
The Great Guide Protest
Earlier this month, dozens of alpine and volcanic guides stood at the "lava flow gate" in protest. Why? Because new safety rules are essentially killing their business.
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- Sunset bans: You can’t be on the mountain after dusk anymore.
- Distance limits: You have to stay at least 200 meters away from active flows.
- Drone policing: The authorities are literally using drones to make sure no group has more than 10 people.
For someone like Dario Teri, a veteran guide who has lived on these slopes his whole life, these rules feel "excessive." The lava in the Valle del Bove moves slowly. It’s thick, viscous, and predictable. But for the Civil Protection Department, the memory of the June 2025 eruption—where tourists had to run for their lives from a sudden ash plume—is still too fresh.
What’s Actually Happening Underground?
Scientists aren't just looking at the red glow; they’re listening to the mountain’s "heartbeat." The INGV uses something called a DRUV dilatometer to measure how much the rock is stretching.
Right now, the data shows an "oscillatory pattern." Basically, the volcano is breathing. It compresses, stabilizes, and then decompresses as magma shifts around at shallow depths.
"The pattern points to sustained magma supply... essentially an ongoing reorganization of Etna's magmatic plumbing," noted researchers from the INGV-OE.
Translation? This isn't a one-off event. It’s part of a cycle that started back in late 2025. The mountain is "open," meaning the magma has an easy path to the surface. This is actually a good thing in some ways—it prevents pressure from building up into one massive, catastrophic blast. Instead, we get these smaller, "managed" leaks.
Traveling to Sicily? Read This First
If you’re planning a trip to Catania or Taormina, don't cancel your flights. Just be prepared for a different kind of vacation.
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- Airport Chaos: Catania–Fontanarossa Airport is a slave to the wind. If the wind blows South, ash hits the runways. If it blows East, you're fine. Always check the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) reports before you head to the gate.
- The "Fake News" Trap: Social media is currently flooded with AI-generated videos of Etna "destroying" villages. It’s all nonsense. If the video looks like a Michael Bay movie, it’s probably fake. Check the official INGV website or the Global Volcanism Program for the real deal.
- Hiking Realities: You can still hike! You just can't go to the very top. Most tours are now focusing on the lower craters or the 2002 flow areas. You'll still see the smoke and hear the "booms," which honestly sound like distant thunder or heavy machinery.
Why the Valle del Bove Matters
The Valle del Bove is Etna’s "safety valve." It’s a massive, horseshoe-shaped depression that acts like a giant bowl. Most of the lava from the current eruption is pouring into this bowl. Because it’s uninhabited, the risk to life is nearly zero. The real danger only starts if a fissure opens on the southern or western flanks, where the towns are much closer.
Actionable Insights for Following the Eruption
If you want to track is Mt Etna erupting now like a pro, stop looking at TikTok and start looking at the technical data.
- Watch the Tremor: Volcanic tremor is the "noise" of magma moving. If the tremor graph on the INGV site spikes into the red, something explosive is likely happening.
- Check the Webcams: The INGV-OE maintains a network of thermal and visual cameras. The "Montagnola" and "Schiena dell'Asino" views are the best for seeing the current flows in the Valle del Bove.
- Respect the Mountain: If a guide tells you a path is closed, don't try to "ninja" your way up. Volcanic gases like sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) can collect in low-lying hollows on a still day and can be lethal before you even smell them.
The 2026 eruption is a reminder that Sicily is a living landscape. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s beautiful. Right now, the volcano is in a state of "moderate" activity—a perfect balance for those who want to witness the power of the earth without the tragedy of a natural disaster.
Stay updated through the official Osservatorio Etneo bulletins, and if you’re on the ground, listen to the locals. They’ve been living with this "Mother" for thousands of years, and they know her moods better than any algorithm.
To stay safe and get the best views, your next move should be checking the daily weather and wind direction forecasts for Catania. Since ash dispersion depends entirely on local wind patterns, knowing which way the wind is blowing will tell you if the airport will stay open or if your hiking gear is about to get covered in black grit. Check the latest INGV "Comunicati" for any sudden shifts in alert levels before you book a local guide.