Blue-colored flames erupt from a volcano in East Java, Indonesia. It appears as though a wizard could suddenly leap up out of the center and into the sky, a la Harry Potter. Kawah Ljen is home to the acidic crater that gushes blue flames, measuring a massive kilometer in width.

Tourists come here on a regular basis merely to catch a glimpse of the stunning vivid blue beauty. Then why is the eruption color of this volcano blue? As the gases rise up from beneath the volcanic fractures, the Kawah Ljen volcano emits the same recognizable blue glow every night.

The extremely high temperatures (over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit) that these gases are at simply serve to increase the pressure. Sulfur only needs to melt when the temperature reaches 239 degrees Fahrenheit.The gases explode and send flames up to 16 feet into the sky as soon as they seep out and come into contact with the oxygen-rich air. Something that appears to be shimmering blue lava runs down the volcano's slope as the gasses change from a gaseous to a liquid form.

Despite the fact that it appears to be lava, what you are seeing is actually sulfuric gasses giving off a blue hue. The blue volcano may appear from a distance to be a Smurfs' campfire that only glows brightly at night. The blue effects are only visible at night, yet the same process occurs during the day.

French photographer Oliver Grunewald is well-known for his breathtaking images of this mysterious location. He always brings his gas mask with him when taking pictures in the region so he can shield himself from the surrounding poisonous vapors.

Sadly, a large number of residents labor near the blue volcano without the appropriate safety equipment. For gathering the sulfur that the volcano releases, these miners are paid $13 a day. Some laborers construct masks out of moist cloths, although this doesn't make their jobs particularly simple, comfortable, or even Local miners have channeled the sulfur from the volcanic gases into underground pools by digging a network of pipes and tunnels. Here, the sulfur becomes yellow and hardens before being broken up into tiny pieces and sold to nearby refineries by workers.

Some of these pieces are also sold to tourists. The sulfur sells for less than 25 cents a pound, meaning miners deal with large quantities, carting 176-220 pounds of sulfur each day. Workers are susceptible to respiratory issues because of the chemicals present, but many continue to work overtime despite this risk. Research geologist Cynthia Werner, who visits the area frequently, claims that many residents are still ignorant of the dangers that these pollutants pose. In an effort to raise awareness and make safety accessible, Werner and other individuals always carry masks for visiting local miners.

“The phenomenon is quite rare”. It truly seems as though we are on a different world.