See also : List of volcanic eruptions in Iceland Largest Holocene eruptions Due to incomplete surveys, which also need to be confined to
subaerial eruptions and not include
igneous intrusions, the accumulative amounts of
dense-rock equivalent erupted in Iceland will be underestimated.
Laki/Skaftáreldar 1783–1784 The most deadly volcanic eruption of Iceland's history was the so-called
Skaftáreldar (fires of
Skaftá) in 1783–1784. The eruption was in the
crater row
Lakagígar (craters of Laki) southwest of
Vatnajökull glacier. The craters are a part of a larger volcanic system with the subglacial
Grímsvötn as a central volcano. Roughly a fifth of the Icelandic population died because of the eruption.
Eldfell 1973 Eldfell is a volcanic cone on the east side of the island of
Heimaey which formed during an eruption in January 1973. The eruption happened without warning, causing the island's population of about 5,300 people to evacuate on fishing boats within a few hours. Importantly, the progress of lava into the harbour was slowed by manual spraying of seawater. One person died, and the eruption resulted in the destruction of homes and property on the island.
Eyjafjallajökull 2010 The eruption under
Eyjafjallajökull in April 2010 caused extreme disruption to air travel across western and northern Europe over a period of six days in April 2010. About 20 countries closed their airspace to commercial jet traffic and it affected approximately 10 million travellers. The eruption had a
VEI of 4, the largest known from Eyjafjallajökull. Several previous eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull have been followed soon afterwards by eruptions of the larger volcano
Katla, but after the 2010 eruption, no activity occurred at Katla.
Grímsvötn 2011 The eruption in May 2011 at
Grímsvötn under the
Vatnajökull glacier sent thousands of tonnes of ash into the sky in a few days, raising concerns of the potential for travel chaos across northern Europe although only about 900 flights were initially disrupted.
Holuhraun 2014–2015 Bárðarbunga is a
stratovolcano and is roughly above sea level in central Iceland, i.e. in the northern edge of Vatnajökull. This makes it the second highest mountain in Iceland. Holuhraun is an older lavafield situated north-east of Bárðarbunga, south of
Askja (last eruption 1961), at an altitude of about . Here the eruption started on August 17, 2014, and lasted for 180 days. The 2014–2015 eruption was Iceland's largest in 230 years. Following a major earthquake swarm, multiple lava fountain eruptions began in
Holuhraun. The lava flow rate was between and came from a
dyke over long. An ice-filled
subsidence bowl over in area and up to deep formed as well.
Fagradalsfjall 2021–2022 Following a three-week period of increased seismic activity, an eruption fissure developed near
Fagradalsfjall, a mountain on the
Reykjanes Peninsula. Lava flow from a 200-meter fissure was first discovered by an
Icelandic Coast Guard helicopter on March 19, 2021, in the
Geldingadalur area near
Grindavík, and within hours the fissure had grown to in length. Another eruption, very similar to the 2021 eruption, began on 3 August 2022, and ceased on 21 August 2022. (
apalhraun) field near
Blue Lagoon Litli-Hrútur 2023 On 10 July 2023 at 16:40 UTC, a fissure eruption began adjacent to the summit of
Litli-Hrútur.
Sundhnúkur 2023–2025 On December 18, 2023, at 22:17 near Hagafell, the volcano began a fissure eruption. In January, 2024 lava from this eruption destroyed 3 houses in the nearby town of
Grindavík. ==Structure of lava fields==