A ranger at the Reykjanes reserve, Óskar Sævarsson, says a photographer and his traveling companions, who were photographed walking off the path at geothermal area Krýsuvík, Southwest Iceland, to take better photos, were putting themselves in danger.
Photos: Dagmar Trodler/Iceland Review.
Óskar told mbl.is that signs clearly indicate the dangers of walking off the path and approaching the high-temperature areas which are characterized by bubbling fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs, and says he has seen some serious accidents of people getting burnt in the area.
According to Óskar, although the area might look safe, the photographer was not even one meter away from stepping through the soil and into a hot spring, which reaches 100ºC (212ºF), so he can consider himself lucky that an accident did not occur.
Three years ago, an ambulance had to be called to the area after a visitor suffered serious burns. Earlier this summer, a woman also suffered burns after stumbling and falling off the footpath.
The majority of visitors to the region follow the advice on the warning signs, Óskar says, but it is mainly professional photographers and artists who ignore the rules.
ZR
