OBJECTIVE NEWS

Yellowstone National Park’s Biscuit Basin will remain closed for the rest of the 2024 season following a hydrothermal explosion that occurred on Tuesday morning. The explosion, which took place around 10 a.m. local time near the Sapphire Pool, launched steam and debris hundreds of feet into the air and caused significant damage to the surrounding area. The incident resulted in the destruction of a nearby boardwalk and the ejection of rocks, some the size of grapefruits, from the explosion site.
No injuries were reported, but the explosion altered the shape of the Black Diamond Pool and affected nearby pools, including the Black Opal Pool. These pools are now murky due to debris, and the unstable ground around their edges occasionally slides into the water. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National Park Service are closely monitoring the area, mapping the debris field, and sampling water to assess changes in the shallow hydrothermal system.
Given the recent changes in the hydrothermal plumbing system, officials warn that small explosions of boiling water may continue in the area over the coming days to months. The Grand Loop Road, which encircles Biscuit Basin, remains open to vehicles, and other thermal basins in the park, such as Black Sand Basin, are also accessible.
Hydrothermal explosions, while relatively common in Yellowstone, typically occur in more remote backcountry areas. The USGS reports that such explosions result from rapid transitions of water to steam due to sudden pressure drops, which causes significant expansion and forces apart surrounding rocks.
The park has experienced similar hydrothermal events in the past, including smaller explosions at Norris Geyser Basin in 1989 and April 2024, and a small event at Wall Pool in Biscuit Basin in 2009. However, large hydrothermal explosions occur on average every 700 years, and the recent explosion does not indicate an imminent volcanic eruption. The Yellowstone volcanic system remains at normal background activity levels.

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