The Epic Volcano Prank That Fooled an Entire Alaskan Town

On the morning of April 1, 1974, residents of Sitka, Alaska woke up to what looked like their worst nightmare: Mount Edgecumbe, a dormant volcano that hadn't erupted in 800 years, was belching thick black smoke into the sky. Terrified locals spilled into the streets, phones rang off the hook at emergency services, and panic spread through the small coastal town.

Except it wasn't an eruption. It was Oliver "Porky" Bickar, a local prankster who'd just pulled off what many consider the greatest April Fools' Day prank in history.

Four Years in the Making

This wasn't some spur-of-the-moment gag. Bickar had been planning this elaborate hoax since 1971, spending three years collecting 70 old tires and waiting for the perfect conditions: clear skies on April Fools' Day. "I have to go do it today," he told his wife when the weather finally cooperated in 1974.

He and his crew loaded the tires into two massive canvas bags, along with kerosene-soaked rags, black smoke bombs, and cans of black spray paint. A helicopter ferried everything up to the crater rim, dangling the bags on 150-foot rope slings.

The Setup

Once at the summit, Bickar arranged the tires in a circle and doused them in kerosene. But here's the genius detail: he also stomped out "APRIL FOOL" in 50-foot letters in the snow around the crater, then spray-painted them black for visibility from the air.

To avoid causing a full-blown evacuation, he'd tipped off local police, fire officials, and airport authorities. But he forgot one crucial group: the Coast Guard.

Sitka Freaks Out

When the tires ignited and black smoke billowed from the crater, chaos erupted below. Emergency hotlines lit up. People rushed outside in their pajamas. The Coast Guard scrambled a helicopter to investigate the apparent volcanic catastrophe.

The pilot flew up to the crater and found Bickar's painted message in the snow. The "eruption" was just burning rubber and kerosene. The entire town had been pranked.

The stunt has since been ranked #3 on the Museum of Hoaxes' list of Top 100 April Fool Hoaxes of All Time, cementing Porky Bickar's legacy as a master of elaborate practical jokes. Mount Edgecumbe remains dormant to this day—unless, of course, it's April 1st and someone's feeling ambitious.