The town of Orting is built in the Mount Rainer Valley in western Washington. Located 30 miles from the volcano, Orting is built on 500-year-old lahar deposits erupted from the volcano. Mount Rainier is an active stratovolcano of andesitic rock, located along the convergent plate boundary where the North American plate and the Pacific plate meet. Mount Rainier is the most prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and is approximately 500,000 years old (The Cardinal). Although Mount Rainier is considered an active volcano due to its lahar flow, it is currently in a state of rest. The last eruption of this massive volcano occurred more than 115 years ago in 1884. Mount Rainier eruptions produce lahar mudflows that are similar to pyroclastic flows except they contain more water. These mudflows carry volcanic ash debris and boulders that produce lava flows and have the consistency of concrete flowing down a mountain (CM Riley). Lahars can flow at up to 100 kilometers per hour and can extend over 300 kilometers away. Because they are difficult to predict, give off few warning signals, and move so quickly through valleys, lahar landslides are considered one of the deadliest volcanic hazards. Although volcanoes are difficult to predict, geologists have made many efforts to warn the people of Orting and other surrounding towns of possible lahar landslides. Residents have been informed of the emergency response plans and know the appropriate precautions to take in the event of an emergency due to volcanic activity. Fire departments and governing bodies in surrounding communities have put in place sirens that detect volcanic activity and warn the community of... middle of paper... d I compiled the final PowerPoint product that helped us in the presentation we gave to the class. Works Cited “Mount Rainier, Highest Mountain in the Contiguous United States.” Online publication. The Cardinal. ArlingtonCardinale, 28 September 2009. Web. 6 February 2010. .Wood and Kienle, 1990, Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada: Cambridge University Press, 354 p., p. 158-160, Contribution by Patrick Pringle. "Introduction to Mount Rainier." National Park Services United States Department of the Interior. Nps.gov, December 27, 2004. Web. February 6, 2010. .Riley, CM "Lahars." Geological and mining engineering sciences. Michigan Tech. Network. February 6. 2010. .