The Volcanic Alert Level for Mount Ruapehu has been lowered to one.

The Department of Conservation closed the summit area of Mount Ruapehu on December 21, 2020.

The area 2km from the centre of Crater Lake was closed in response to the VAL being raised to level two by GNS Science and the increased risk of an eruption occurring. With the VAL now returned to level one, the 2km exclusion zone has been lifted and there are no longer any restrictions in place.

Tongariro operations manager Connie Norgate says while the alert level has returned to level one (which is normal for Ruapehu), visitors should remember Tongariro National Park is an active volcanic area, and eruptions can occur with little or no warning.

'The closer people are to the Park's active volcanic vents, the higher their risk of being exposed to volcanic hazards. Eruptions can occur at any time, we recommend people remain at least 700 metres from Te Wai ā-moe/Crater Lake, and do not camp within 1.5km of the Lake as a safety precaution.

'Please respect the maunga and familiarise yourself with the volcanic risk info on DOC's website,” says Connie.