What Is the Door to Hell and Why Has It Been Burning for 50 Years?
May 10, 2026
The Door to Hell is a 226-foot-wide natural gas crater in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert that has been burning continuously since 1971, when Soviet engineers accidentally created it during a drilling operation. The crater was ignited to prevent dangerous methane buildup and has defied all attempts to extinguish it for over five decades.
The Accidental Creation of an Inferno
In 1971, Soviet engineers were conducting natural gas exploration near the village of Darvaza when disaster struck. Their drilling rig broke through into a massive underground natural gas cavern, causing the ground to collapse and swallow the entire operation. Faced with a dangerous situation where methane gas was escaping into the atmosphere, the engineers made what seemed like a logical decision: light the gas on fire to burn it off safely.
They expected the flames to extinguish within weeks. Instead, they created one of Earth’s most enduring geological phenomena.
Why It Won’t Stop Burning
The crater’s persistence comes from Turkmenistan’s extraordinary natural gas reserves—the fourth-largest in the world. The Darvaza crater sits atop vast underground gas deposits that continue feeding the flames after more than half a century. The constant supply of natural gas ensures the fire burns relentlessly, creating temperatures so intense that humans cannot approach the crater’s edge safely.
The crater measures approximately 70 meters (230 feet) wide and 30 meters (98 feet) deep, with flames that reach temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit).
Life in the Inferno
In 2013, National Geographic explorer George Kourounis achieved the impossible: he became the first known person to descend into the burning crater. Wearing a specialized heat-resistant suit and breathing apparatus, Kourounis rappelled to the crater floor to collect soil samples.
The results were astounding. Laboratory analysis revealed living microorganisms thriving in the extreme conditions—bacteria that existed nowhere in the surrounding desert soil. These extremophiles have adapted to survive in temperatures and conditions previously thought uninhabitable, providing valuable insights into the potential for life in extreme environments both on Earth and potentially other planets.
Government Attempts to Close the Gates
The Turkmen government has made multiple attempts to extinguish the crater, most recently ordering its closure in 2022. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov cited environmental concerns and the waste of valuable natural gas resources as reasons for shuttering the site.
Despite official orders and various engineering attempts, the Door to Hell continues burning. The sheer volume of gas escaping from the underground reserves makes extinction efforts extraordinarily difficult and expensive.
A Geological Wonder and Tourist Attraction
Despite its remote location in the Karakum Desert, the Door to Hell has become an unlikely tourist destination. Visitors travel from around the world to witness the surreal spectacle of flames dancing against the desert night sky. The crater is most spectacular after dark, when the orange glow creates an otherworldly atmosphere that justifies its dramatic nickname.
The site represents a unique intersection of human error, geological forces, and biological adaptation—a testament to both the power of natural gas reserves and life’s incredible ability to survive in the most extreme conditions imaginable.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Can the Door to Hell be extinguished? â–¾
While theoretically possible, extinguishing the Door to Hell would require massive engineering efforts and enormous costs due to the continuous supply of natural gas from underground reserves.
Is it safe to visit the Door to Hell crater? â–¾
Visitors can view the crater from a safe distance, but the extreme heat and toxic gases make it dangerous to approach the edge closely without proper protective equipment.
How much natural gas does the Door to Hell waste? â–¾
The crater burns an estimated millions of cubic meters of natural gas annually, representing significant economic and environmental waste for Turkmenistan.
