We were casually enjoying the roads of Azerbaijan, soaking in the beauty of our Baku trip. Everything was going smoothly and our guide suggested a little road trip, promising to show us something we had never seen before. Curious, we agreed. As we drove through the barren landscape, with mountains on either side, he suddenly stopped the car and led us into a rather fancy-looking hall.At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But then, as we descended the stairs, we saw something unusual—tourists gathered around, taking pictures in front of what looked like a fire! My immediate thought was, “Why isn’t anyone trying to put that out?”
Our driver just smiled, clearly enjoying the suspense he had built. In bold letters, we saw the sign: “YANAR DAG.” We realized we were at Yanar Dag, but still, what was up with this fire? It was burning so fiercely, and yet no one seemed worried.
That’s when our guide, with a sly smile, finally revealed the secret: “This is Yanar Dag—The Burning Mountain,” mysteriously burning for centuries!
Yes, we all wonder the same thing! Why has Yanar Dag never stopped burning? And why isn’t this fire causing any damage to the mountain? Our guide told us that this natural wonder has flames constantly coming from the side of the fire mountain Baku. This happens because natural gas, mostly methane, escapes from below the ground due to pressure. When the gas reaches the surface, it catches fire from friction or sparks.As long as there’s gas, the flames keep burning. This has been going on for centuries, making Yanar Dag a fascinating and unique sight for fun things to do in Baku. It features a 10-metre wall of fire that burns continuously along the edge of a hill.
Do you have the same question I do? What happens when it rains or snows—will the flames stop burning or just take a break? Actually, they don’t stop! No matter how much it rains or snows, these flames are stubborn! Rain might dampen the area a bit, but it can’t put out the flames fueled by the underground gas. Snow might cover the mountain, but as soon as it melts, the fire starts up again. It’s like the mountain has a constant, weather-proof bonfire that keeps burning no matter what the skies throw at it!
