Thick deposits of pyroclastic flow from Shiveluch Volcano (February 2005) have remained high temperature for 6 years after the eruption. Despite the increased temperature of the deposits, plants began its colonization in recent years. To identify features of succession certain characteristics of unusual ecotope have been studied, including distribution of temperature background.

In the spruce forest destroyed by a powerful pyroclastic surge, willow has been reestablishing on the surge deposits. Over a decade, the willow has formed a 6–8 m high canopy. The authors have specified the following factors that contributed to such a rapid reestablishing: a favourable moisture regime of the root zone caused by the deposition of the surge, the resources of the buried soil that feed the willows, and a certain protective role of dead trees. Prospects of further succession are being discussed; the authors have concluded that over about a 50-year-long period the willow will mostly fall out; by the end of the century the spruce will have partially restored its positions, but the stand will be mixed.

The book provides a systematic description of active volcanoes of Kamchatka — one of the most active volcanic regions of the world. Distribution, shape and activity of the volcanoes, their position in complex and long-lived volcanic centres, as well as their geologic structure and composition are presented.
The book is illustrated with colour maps, schemes, and sketches. Over 300 colour photographs show volcanic landscapes, diverse volcanic forms (cones, craters, lava flows, calderas, etc.) and various manifestations of post-volcanic activity (hydrotherms, famous Kamchatka geysers).
Concise, lavishly illustrated with colourful and high-quality photographs, the book makes an interesting and useful reading not only for specialists (volcanologists, geologists, geochemists, geophysicists, geographes, etc.) but for a bioad readership as well. The publication is unique and unparalleled in scientific literature. The text is presented in Russian and in English.
This monography is written by scientists from the Institute of volcanology, Far East Division, the Academy of Science of the USSR.

Данная книга — первое переиздание выпущенного в Санкт-Петербурге Российской Императорской академией наук в 1901 году научного труда известного исследователя Камчатки середины XIX века Карла фон Дитмара.
К книге прилагается "Карта Камчатки, пополненная по дневникам своих путешествий К. Дитмаром, 1889". На вклейках — иллюстрации из издания 1901 года: рисунки "Вид Авачинской губы с Петропавловском и Корякской сопкой", "Вид Петропавловска. Середина XIX века", "Порт Петра и Павла. Старинная гравюра" и "Геологическая карта Авачинской губы".
Текст сопровождается иллюстрациями: схематическими рисунками и картосхемами (планами).
Авт. ст. от изд-ва Е.В. Гропянов ; рецензент и науч. ред. И.В. Мелекесцев ; авт. предисл. к камч. изданию И.В. Мелекесцев. — [Переизд. по: Дитмар К. Поездки и пребывание в Камчатке в 1851–1855 гг. — Ч. 1 : Исторический отчет по путевым дневникам. — СПб., 1901].

В 1986—1987 гг. извергались три вулкана Северной группы: Ключев­ской, Безымянный и Шивелуч. Вулканы Плоский Толбачик и Ушковский находились в состоянии фумарольной деятельности.