The Prankster who lit a dormant volcano on fire for April Fool’s day
On April 1, 1974, residents of Sitka, Alaska saw a plume of black smoke coming out of a dormant volcano, Mt. Edgecumbe, leaving them panicked. After calling the police and firefighters, they found out there was no lava to be found anywhere. Turns out, it was a fake eruption caused by a 50-year-old prankster who spray painted “April Fool” in the cone of volcano and lit tires on fire.
The prankster, Oliver Bickar, went through great lengths to create the prank, starting from collecting 70 old tires, phoning a helicopter transportation service, buying gallons on kerosene, piling the tires into a stack, setting them on fire, and then finally heading home. If only he had put up that much effort into helping himself with some common sense.
