Mount Vesuvius evokes the beautiful green hills of Pompeii and the rising tide of red hot lava that would invade the ancient city, leaving it completely in ruins.

The firestorm that would reach out of the earth would end the lives of many more that day if it had not been for Pliny the Elder’s efforts to rescue as many people as he could.

Pompeii now stands as a testament to the ancient Roman way of life as the volcanic ash preserved much of the city. It is also a reminder that we should heed nature’s warnings.