Early morning 1947, Albuquerque awoke to a column of thick, black smoke seemingly erupting from the Vulcan volcano, one of five and the largest dormant volcano on the west mesa.

Volcanoes erupted millions of years ago when the land cracked and formed the Rio Grande Rift. Eventually, they became quiescent, but geologists have never listed them as extinct, just dormant. So it was possible Vulcan had again begun belching smoke — as it had in the 1880s causing people to flee the city — and could threaten Albuquerque with ash and lava.

Interested authorities crept up the side of the volcano and peered over the rim. Not knowing what they'd find, they were undoubtedly surprised. Instead of fire and brimstone, the source of the smoke was a pile of rubber tires burning vigorously.

The erupting volcano, it seems, was nothing more than a hoax, a prank played on Albuquerque by college students, who had hauled tires up under cover of darkness, doused them with gasoline, and set them on fire.

Thanks to Sam Lowe and his New Mexico Curiosities for this unusual episode in Albuquerque's history.
