Campi Flegrei in Italy. Europe's supervolcano that is inflating.

 

Campi Flegrei is an area in Pozzuoli, near Naples, just 10 km away. This area is actually a supervolcano, extending even into the sea. In recent months, a continuous and accelerated uplift of the ground (2.5 cm per month) has been detected, along with an increase in the frequency of seismic events, and sustained high ground temperatures exceeding 170°C.

 

Campi Flegrei in Italy. Europe's supervolcano that is inflating.

Campi Flegrei in Italy. Europe's supervolcano that is inflating.
Reading time: 5 minutes

This article is not intended to be alarmist, but it does highlight certain issues that need to be considered. In this case, we are talking about volcanic activity of magmatic origin that is becoming increasingly noticeable and continuously growing beneath Campi Flegrei, in Italy, and is mostly documented by independent media. We strive to provide the most comprehensive and accessible information possible, always prioritizing the truth, just as independent media outlets do, and which deserve our full credibility and respect. We will attempt to offer our objective perspective on the events unfolding in Italy.

This time, we are focusing on the SolfataraNews channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SolfataraNews.

The people who publish the digital news on this channel analyze the situation daily using a drone, which they fly over the area, creating a unique daily record of the situation without putting their lives at risk by not having to approach the epicenter. In this way, they provide daily images altruistically, for the benefit of the public. This fieldwork is truly admirable, demonstrating their dedication and concern for the area. These documents are invaluable, as neither the government nor the government has the equipment, time, or resources to conduct such research. Their selfless daily work is crucial for gathering as much data as possible on events like this, and it benefits everyone by sharing this information publicly and altruistically.

To give you some context:

  • The area is rising at an increasingly rapid rate, currently confirmed at 2.5 cm per month. There are docks where boats have been left stranded on the raised sediment, as the sea level has receded due to the rising land.
  • It's true that the area has experienced periods of inflation and deflation throughout ancient times. There are columns that bear witness to this, but the truth is, they were never as significant or as rapid as what we are witnessing now.
  • The City Council recently presented its prevention plan to the press, including buses to evacuate residents if necessary, but... at least until a few days ago, many of the evacuation routes were closed due to roadworks. One of the affected roads adjacent to the area is the Via Antinana, where Solfatara News captured images of the road filled with bubbles, presumably created by the excessive heat of the ground. This road has been under construction for almost a month, and work cannot continue because they have apparently detected problems with a pipe underneath. Therefore, they must first fix the pipes before reopening the road. In the meantime, only one lane is open... without traffic lights, because they were stolen, and two people have had to be stationed to direct traffic day and night.
  • The fumaroles have been emitting gases for some time, but lately, an increase in pressure from the caldera has been recorded, causing the gases to be expelled with greater force.
  • The ground temperature is rising. It recently reached an official temperature of around 170ºC. Today, thanks to the professional DJI thermal drone acquired by Solfatara News, and by covering the remaining costs of fieldwork out of their own pockets, a temperature of approximately 182ºC has been recorded. These devices have an enormous measurement capacity with a very small margin of error, so we have complete confidence in their findings. We hold a DJI drone pilot's license, so we can authoritatively attest to the quality and reliability of these sensors.

 

Sea receding in the dock.

 

Land elevation data showing sustained growth.

 

Official temperature rise graphs.

 

Regarding earthquakes, in 2025 there have been at least five of magnitude greater than M4, and dozens of microseisms occur daily, indicating constant movement in the area. It is true that there have been others nearby, just a few kilometers away, but these were of tectonic origin and therefore unrelated to the magmatic volcanic activity of Campi Fregei.

The volcanic crust is swelling and weakening; some 400,000 people live atop a supervolcano; fumaroles are increasingly releasing pressurized gases; buildings are cracking; on many days, the sulfurous smell of rotten eggs permeates the air, even inside homes; the sea is receding due to the swelling ground; roads are filled with bubbles from the excessive heat of the soil; and finally, daily, publicly available thermal drone measurements show increasing activity... Many signs that suggest we shouldn't be paying attention, at least for now.

While some people are reporting, monitoring, and worrying about the event, it seems the government is focused on economic goals, such as expanding the area's tourism offerings by building new hotels. They have, however, created a new yellow alert level, presumably to avoid alarming the population. There are now two yellow alert levels, and for the moment it's at a 'low' yellow alert... perhaps to allow for more flexibility in case it needs to be raised directly to orange or red?

As always, independent media outlets don't usually have much of a voice or recognition from official bodies, so always get your information from official sources. However, given the collaborative and citizen-focused nature of our portal, we also recommend keeping an eye on Solfatara News if you're interested in the topic. You'll get daily, first-hand, and direct information about the event.

We're not trying to say, by any means, that there's an imminent danger of an eruption, but the data is starting to become worrying. Let's hope that this is just a minor incident and that everything returns to normal soon.

We encourage everyone to contribute to this project so they can reach 100% of their crowdfunding goal, which you can find on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SolfataraNews. Like our seismic project, this one is based on citizen collaboration and operates independently of official organizations. We aim to provide humanity with new data that would not be possible without this work. The goal is not to compete, but rather to complement what the Earth provides with new and different useful data that helps us better understand and study our environment, and, in this case, these types of events.

* Images taken from the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SolfataraNews


Disclaimer

This content is part of the EQCitizen ecosystem, an initiative focused on the open and citizen-led exploration of natural phenomena. The information presented here is offered for educational and reflective purposes, without claiming to be exhaustive, official, or predictive.

The opinions expressed, hypothetical models, and shared visualizations should not be interpreted as technical, scientific, or legal advice. They do not constitute an authoritative source on volcanic risks, emergency protocols, or civil protection decisions.

EQCitizen promotes critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and open access to knowledge. We encourage you to verify this information with specialized sources, official bodies, and peer-reviewed studies.

The author and the project assume no responsibility for the use, interpretation, or consequences arising from this content. Citizen participation in science requires caution, context, and informed dialogue.



Video:






Other related blog posts: