Chestnut Ridge Park, United States
Located behind a waterfall in the popular Chestnut Ridge Park in the state of New York, this eternal flame became an internet sensation when a TikTok user shared his adventure to find the tourist attraction.
Source: @fishlikemike/Instagram
Researchers conducted a study at the site in 2013, which explained the flame resulted from a methane leak and had likely been burning “naturally for many hundreds or even thousands of years.”
Olympos National Park, Turkey
Nestled against a slope on Mount Olympos in Turkey are the flames of Chimera, known in Turkish as Yanartaş, or “Burning Rock.”
Source: Wikimedia
These small clusters of flames, nestled in the southern part of the nation, are shrouded in legends that propose they have been burning for thousands of years. According to these tales, fire is the breath of a monster or “chimera” that is made from part snake, part goat, and part snake.
Darvaza, Turkmenistan
One of Earth’s most recognized eternal flames is located in Darvaza, Turkmenistan, at a site often called “The Doors to Hell” or “The Gates to Hell.”
Source: Wikimedia
This enormous gas crater has been burning for over four decades and is currently around 70 meters wide and more than 30 meters deep. It’s uncertain how the crater initially formed; however, in the 1980s, Soviet engineers were instructed to burn off the methane. Yet, 40 years later, the fire continued to burn.
Guanziling, Taiwan
A unique eternal flame, known as the Fire and Water Spring, is found in a small pool not far from Guanziling Hot Springs in Taiwan. According to legends, it was first discovered by a Fujianese monk at the beginning of the 18th century.
Source: Wikimedia
Locals inform tourists that the hot spring’s water comes from the urine of a mythical creature called a Kirin, which was later set on fire to entertain guests.
Murchison, New Zealand
Located on New Zealand’s southern island, in the small village of Murchison, is a small eternal flame fueled by a methane gas leak coming from deep underground.
Source: Wikimedia
The locals dub this natural phenomenon “the Gas Blows.” The small yellow smokeless flame has been burning for the better part of a century and is thought to have been ignited in the 1920s when a hunter threw away a match that lit out a gas leak in his vicinity.
Jomsom, Nepal
Just beyond the borders of the city of Jomson in Nepal lies the Muktinath, held sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists as a place that houses the elements of fire, water, air, and earth in the materials surrounding it.
Source: Visit Nepal
The site is also revered as home to a unique eternal flame that locals claim has been burning for over 2,000 years. According to legends, the Hindu deity Brahma first lit the flame, and it has never been extinguished
Himachal Pradesh, India
Not far from India’s northwestern border with Tibet lies a unique gas flame that has been burning for more than a century.
Source: Wikimedia
Found in the state of Himachal Pradesh, Hindu mythology suggests the flame is the “fiery tongue of the goddess Sati,” whose severed body parts were spread across the Indian subcontinent.
Digha, Azerbaijan
During the 13th century, the fabled explorer Marco Polo recorded numerous natural flames in what is now Azerbaijan.
Source: Wikimedia
Today, only one example remains, known as Yanar Dağ to locals. It’s located at the foot of Fire Mountain and is approximately ten meters in length. Legends say it has remained ablaze for thousands of years, whereas others argue it reigned in the 20th century.
Centralia, US
Deep beneath an abandoned coal mine in Pennsylvania lies a coal-seam fire that has been burning for several decades.
Source: Wikimedia
Located in the borough of Centralia, the fire stretches for nearly 10 miles and is thought to have ignited in 1962, but no one knows why. According to best estimates, the fire has enough fuel to continue burning for the next 250 years.
Kirkuk, Iraq
An oil field was discovered near the city of Kirkuk in Iraq in 1927. However, before this, the region was famous for an eternal flame known as Baba Grgur.
Source: Wikimedia
While it’s uncertain just how long this tantalizing flame has been burning, some biblical scholars propose Baba Gurgr is the “fiery furnace” to which Abednego, Shadrach, and Meshach were thrown in the Old Testament.
The Mystery Behind the Eternal Flames
Despite extensively studying many of the eternal flames, researchers are still uncertain as to what initially ignited the fires or when they first emerged.
Source: Metro
Most are fueled by a never-ending supply of oil, coal, or gas that originates deep within the Earth’s interior. The fascination behind the flames has drawn people from around the world to venture simply to see them in person, and they will likely continue to do so for centuries to come.