Iceland: Visitors seem to have a hard time staying off the lava

NordenBladet — A pair of French tourists were spotted Thursday evening on top of the still-warm lava of the Fagradalsfjall eruption, using the glowing hot rock to toast marshmallows.

This is just the latest of many instances where visitors disregard official warnings to not walk on the lava field around the eruption site due to risk of injury and death.

In July a young American couple was photographed venturing onto the lava while carrying an infant, giving no heed to the warnings of bystanders. Also in July children were seen playing on top of the edge of the lava, with their parents “not reacting well” when bystanders pointed out the danger the children were be in.

In early June a man was spotted stepping onto the still-glowing edge of the lava while his partner photographed him, and later that same month cameras spotted a man running for his life from an approaching stream of lava after having walked a considerable distance towards an active lava vent.

While the surface of the lava may seem solid and strong enough to carry the weight of an adult authorities warn that the crust can be thinner and weaker than it looks, with glowing hot lava underneath.