Scientists, first responders and local agencies met in Squamish to review draft volcanic hazard maps for Mount Garibaldi.
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Canada’s first volcanic hazard map workshop of its kind was held in Squamish on Sept. 15 at the Emergency Operations Centre in Valleycliffe, bringing together researchers and agencies working on emergency response and land-use planning.
The Mount Garibaldi / Nch’ḵay̓ Volcanic Hazard Map Workshop was co-hosted by the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) and Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Natural Hazards Research as part of the GSC-led Volcano Risk Reduction in Canada project.
GSC research scientist Yu-Yen Pan said the project aims to improve scientific understanding of Mount Garibaldi, described as Canada’s highest-threat volcano, and translate that knowledge into practical information and tools to support decision-making.
Pan said the workshop brought together about 30 participants from 14 organizations, including provincial agencies such as the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and BC Parks, local government representatives including the District of Squamish and Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Squamish Nation, and infrastructure organizations including BC Hydro.
Pan said the scientists shared the latest research on Mount Garibaldi and presented draft volcanic hazard maps, along with discussions on how the information could support participants’ work. She said the session covered what additional information or resources agencies may need and how the maps and supporting communication materials could be made clearer and more useful.
Geological Survey of Canada physical scientist Melanie Kelman said there is “no need for residents or visitors to panic,” describing Mount Garibaldi as “very high threat” because of its eruption history and because its Opal Cone is capable of long lava flows that can travel far.
Kelman said the volcano is also “very close to Squamish” and is near infrastructure including “the highway,” “power infrastructure,” “the railroad,” and “air traffic corridors,” meaning more people and key facilities are exposed. She said Mount Meager was identified as the other highest-threat volcano.
GSC research scientist Yannick Le Moigne said the draft maps presented at the workshop showed where hazards could go in the event of an eruption, including ashfall and lava flows. He said the project involved a series of maps, with different maps for different volcanic hazards, and that the goal was for emergency managers and first responders to see how they could be used in their roles.
Pan said the workshop helped identify what different agencies want from the hazard mapping, including actionable information such as how much warning time might be available, as well as “worst-case or most-likely scenarios” and differences between winter and summer situations.
Kelman said the workshop value included reframing scientific hazard information so it matches what first responders and communities need, noting that hazard maps have sometimes been made but not used or shared.
District manager of communications Rachel Boguski said the District of Squamish described the workshop as an opportunity to learn about the latest regional volcanic hazard research, review draft hazard mapping, and better understand how the information can support emergency management and long-term planning.
Boguski said the district also described the meeting as a chance to connect with researchers, provincial agencies, First Nations, neighbouring local governments, and infrastructure providers to discuss shared risks and planning considerations.
Kelman said the Volcano Risk Reduction in Canada project began in 2022 and is ending in March 2027, and that researchers are seeking additional funding to continue work, including long-term monitoring and capacity for a volcano observatory.
She said volcanoes often provide warning signs, with unrest that can develop over “hours, days, weeks, months, or years,” and that monitoring such as seismic stations, ground deformation monitoring, and gas monitoring helps scientists understand what normal looks like and what unrest looks like before an eruption.
Le Moigne said on-the-ground work is needed to fill “missing links” for producing good probabilities of what an eruption might look like in the future, including sampling and analyzing rocks to understand past volcanic behaviour.
Kelman said preparedness steps can reduce impacts, explaining that if an eruption is predicted, communities can prepare for hazards such as volcanic ash, including protecting equipment, cleaning up ash, and using personal protective equipment and related measures for people and livestock.
She said residents can also use reliable sources for information rather than “some random person on social media,” and that having an emergency kit and a family plan are basic preparedness steps that also apply to volcanic hazards.
SFU earth science professor Glyn Williams-Jones said he pointed to input from Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Elder Tom Harry, describing it as bringing “a different lens” and drawing on “rich oral history” of past behaviour across Canadian volcanoes.
Williams-Jones also told participants that if people in Squamish value further volcano research, they can speak up by contacting their MP and MLA.
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