Burning Blue: Indonesia’s Psychedelic Sulphur Volcano

By Mark Hodge @MrHodgey

A FLAMING hot volcano glows in the dark as its sulphuric gases burn sapphire blue

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Videographer / Director: Marc Szeglat
Producer: Mark Hodge, Nick Johnson
Editor: Kyle Waters

The thick sulphur smoke moves over the top of the volcano

Filmed at the Kawah Ijen volcano in east Java, Indonesia, this rare phenomenon was captured by volcano explorer Marc Szeglat.

Shot in August, the German videographer was able to film the haunting blue flames which are caused by the combustion of sulphuric gases which billow through vents at burning hot temperatures.

The glowing blue flames are contrasted by the still turquoise acidic lake

Some of the gases then condense into liquid sulphur which continues to burn creating the blue fire which can only be captured during the darkness of night.

At the summit of the huge 9,183 ft volcano is the world's biggest acidic crater lake, which is one-kilometre wide and has a distinctive turquoise colour.

A magical looking photograph of the burning hot fire mixed with smoke which is tinted green

The crater is also home to a mining industry which involves workers risking their health to collect the bright yellow sulphur rocks which are then used in the chemical industry.

The fire is extremely rare and can only be captured on film during night time

Marc, who is from Oberhausen in Germany, has climbed over 50 volcanos worldwide.

He said: “A special feature is that the sulphur in the volcanic crater is so hot that it burns.

A haunting image of the toxic smoke billowing from the sulphur vents

“Normally the miners put out it with water because they don´t want to lose the sulphur.

“During the day you can't see the flames, but as soon as it's dark, they light up a beautiful blue colour.

A worker poses for the camera with a basket over his shoulders and a small scarf covering his face

“I have never been able to view the burning of sulphur like this in any other volcano in the world.”

The labourers are paid $8 per day and have to endure hazardous working conditions

The volcano is one of Indonesia's largest sulphur mines with the gases creating several tons of the chemical every day.

The mine workers dig up the sulphur while trying not to breath in the toxic smoke

Photographer Marc also spoke about the working conditions that the manual workers have to endure.

Ceramic pipes attached to the vents route the gases down the slope as they cool and condense

He said: “The problem is the gas clouds – when they get into your lungs they take your breath away and your eyes begin to water immediately.

The workers carry the sulphur rocks down to the loading station which is a three km trek

“The miners earn around $8 per day which for Indonesian standards is relatively high for this kind of manual work and more than they would get in a factory.”