These five places on earth have fires that have been flickering for years, sometimes even centuries.
These places have fires—real fires—burning and unquenched. Talk about eternal flames, some are formed by natural gas, though their source remains mysterious.
Here they are:
1. Azerbaijan: Yanar Dag (Fire Mountain)
Yanar Dağ is one of Azerbaijan’s most stunning natural flames.
In the 13th century, Marco Polo recorded the unexplained fires in Azerbaijan, earning the region the nickname "Land of Fire."
Azerbaijan's natural flames are attributed to its vast gas reserves, which resulted in the majority of natural fires burning out because of low subterranean pressure.
Five centuries after Marco Polo, French novelist Alexandre Dumas beheld the same flames in a mystery fire temple. These natural fires are believed to have played an important part in developing Zoroastrianism, a mystical religion based on ceremonial fire cults.
2. Turkmenistan: The Gates of Hell
The Gates of Hell gas crater in Turkmenistan's Karakum desert, near the village of Darvaza, has been on fire for over 50 years. It started in 1971 when a Soviet drilling rig accidentally punctured a natural gas cavern. Poisonous fumes began leaking, and the crater's fiery glow could be seen for miles.
3. Australia: Burning Mountain
Mount Wingen, located in New South Wales, Australia has a continuous coal fire covering 6.5 km of land. This unique phenomenon, which occurs in lesser-developed countries, typically ends within a few days or a month, but it has been burning for 6,000 years in Wingen. The sulphur-tinged smoke from the fire has attracted tourists worldwide, making it a wonder of the world.
4. Turkey: Yanartas
The rocky mountain looks like any other mountain but it is a unique destination due to its 2,500-year-old flaming flames. These flames, fueled by methane seeping through vents, have served as a beacon for sailors and hikers in modern times. The mountain is also connected to a mythology story, the myth of the Chimera, a fiery creature in Homer's Illiad. The King of Lycia sent Bellerophon to the mountain to kill the creature, spearing it when it attacked.
5. New York: Eternal Flames at Chestnut Ridge County Park
Eternal Flame Falls is a waterfall with a small flame created by a natural gas pocket. The natural gas that eternal flame sites release is the result of an interaction between old, heated shale rocks. Hikers relight the gas pocket as it goes out, keeping the flame going forever. This distinctive imagery has sparked folklore and reports of elves in the area.