Yellowstone's supervolcano remains active, but that doesn't mean an eruption is imminent. The region experiences frequent earthquakes, ground deformation, and hydrothermal activity, all signs that the two magma chambers beneath Yellowstone are still active. However, these geological processes are normal and there is currently nothing happening that has given scientists cause for concern. It's also important to note that geological activity doesn't run on a schedule, so even though there has been an erage period of 700,000 years between major eruptions at Yellowstone, there's nothing to say that frequency will always be the same. What's more, the last time Yellowstone did erupt 70,000 years ago, it was a relatively peaceful la flow, not an explosive, cataclysmic happening, proving that not all volcanic events he to be devastating.
More reassuringly, the infrastructure needed to keep an eye on this geological activity has only gotten better over the years. Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, a team of experts from multiple agencies across nine states in the region, closely monitor seismic activity, satellite data, and more to detect any significant changes that might indicate an eruption is on its way.
But if another significant Yellowstone eruption were to occur, the consequences would be severe, given that human civilization has built up around the supervolcano in the many thousands of years that he passed since it last erupted. However, that civilizational progress has also led to the development of volcanic monitoring and early-warning systems that provide crucial data to help keep people informed and safe. Despite the devastation that the La Creek eruption wrought, it was just another chapter in Earth's ever changing geological story. For more on the planet's volcanic history, learn why Europe's supervolcano could be a ticking time bomb.