Volcano could disrupt flights

One of the state’s most active volcanoes could be working toward a major eruption that could affect air travel, scientists said in Anchorage.

Satellite images of Pavlof Volcano showed strong thermal readings, consistent with what the Alaska Volcano Observatory was calling a “vigorous eruption” of lava at the volcano about 590 miles southwest of Anchorage.

The volcano is below the path of hundreds of daily international flights, and an explosive eruption could interrupt those operations, said Steve McNutt, a volcano seismologist with the observatory.