Nisga’a Lava Fields, Northern British Columbia

Nisga’a Lava Fields, Northern British Columbia The Nisga’a Lava Fields, also known as the Tseax Cone lava beds, are located in the Nass Valley of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. They are the site of one of Canada’s most recent volcanic eruptions, which occurred approximately 1700 AD. The eruption originated from the Tseax Cone, a small cinder cone volcano, and produced a lava flow that travelled over 22 kilometres, destroying two Nisga’a villages and killing an estimated 2,000 people, making it one of Canada’s deadliest natural disasters. The event was caused by a rift in the Earth's crust, allowing molten lava to escape and cover the valley. The Nisga’a people have oral histories that describe the disaster as a punishment from the spirits due to conflict within the community. Today, the lava fields are preserved within Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park, the first provincial park in British Columbia to be managed jointly with an Indigenous nation. The site holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Nisga’a people and serves as a reminder of their resilience.