Over the past three weeks, three volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands have erupted. Most recently, the Kasatochi volcano sent an ash plume more than 35,000 feet into the air and forced two biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to evacuate the island. The increased volcanic activity in the area has resulted in large plumes of volcanic ash in the air. The ash has been so dense that it has caused the cancellation of commercial airline flights.

The USGS Volcano Hazards Program (VHP) has a host of information regarding all volcanoes in the United States, including the Mariana Islands. The program hosts information about volcanoes in Alaska, The Cascades, Hawaii, Long Valley, Mariana Islands, and Yellowstone.

Additionally, the USGS participates in the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO). The AVO is a partnership of the USGS, University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. From the AVO site, "AVO was formed in 1988, and uses federal, state, and university resources to monitor and study Alaska's hazardous volcanoes, to predict and record eruptive activity, and to mitigate volcanic hazards to life and property."

Episode 59 of the USGS Core Cast (podcast) is about the most recent Kasatochi eruption.