The 2014–2015 eruption of Fogo began on 23 November 2014, continuing until 8 February 2015. It was the first eruption of Pico do Fogo in 19 years, and the longest since its 1857 eruption. It had a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3, making it the largest eruption of the volcano since records began.
It caused an estimated five billion escudos (€45.3 million) in damages.
Volcanic activity
The volcano started erupting shortly after 10 a.m. on Sunday, 23 November 2014. There had been a few days of heightened seismic activity, with stronger tremors occurring the night before the eruption started. The eruption began at Pico Pequeno and at another location near the crater made by the 1995 eruption. The population of Chã das Caldeiras, totaling around 1,000 inhabitants, spent the night outside their homes due to the strong earthquakes, and started being evacuated when the eruption began. As in 1995, some people initially refused to abandon their homes, but eventually heeded the authorities' instructions.
On 27 November, a lava flow moved northward toward the village center. During the first days of eruption, a 3.5 km stretch of the southern basalt paved road that connected São Filipe was covered with lava. On 1 December, the lava flow rate was 15 meters an hour and it had engulfed 400 ha of land, destroyed 18 houses and was nearing the village center. A day later, lava entered into Portela where 50 houses were destroyed along with a school and a hotel. By 7 December, much of Portela was ruined and 70% of Bangaeira had been damaged. On 9 December, lava reached more areas inside the Bordeira and Bangaeira and by 12 December it affected almost all of Bangaeira.
Football competitions cancelled
Not long after the eruption, the 2014–2015 Fogo Premier Division just started its new season. Into the second round of competition, as the Baxada-Nô Pintcha and Spartak-Academica were about to begin that day after the noon hour, as the eruption started four hours before the scheduled match, the second round was delayed and the Spartak d'Aguadinha-Académica match was rescheduled for 14 December and the Baxada-Nô Pintcha for 17 December.<ref>{ { cite web|url=https://desporto.sapo.pt/futebol/cabo_verde/campeonato_nacional_cv/artigo/2014/12/19/fogo-jogos-da-3-jornada-v-o-realizar-se-no-fim-de-semana|title=Ilha do Fogo: Jogos da 3ª jornada vão realizar-se no fim-de-semana|publisher=Sapodesporto|date=19 December 2014|accessdate=19 December 2014|language=pt}}</ref> The remaining rounds matches were largely rescheduled and its weeks that had breaks were removed. It probably cancelled the 2014–2015 Fogo Cup was cancelled and probably the 2014 Santiago Super Cup with Sporting Praia-Tchadense on the opposite island of Santiago. The third round matches were rescheduled for 20–29 December and lasted for two weeks. After the volcanic activity dwindled, the Premier Division resumed competition on 10 January. It did not affect the Second Division competition which started over a week after the eruption.
Little activity and later continued lava activity
The lava was less intensified for a week, on 19 December, lava engulfed the buildings and cultivated fields in the small area of Ilhéu de Losna (Dje de Lorna) and the main road with Portela was cut off and later destroyed. The lava flow on December 23 reached the western foot of Bordeira, the first since the 1680 eruption and afterwards became less active.
Decrease in volcanic activity and the end of the eruption
Lava flows later decreased and became less active and on 8 February, it was finished after 77 days of activity. Overall, it devastated the sections of Bangaeira, Portela and Dje de Lorna and parts of the village, most of the center, the western part up to 1 km and most of the southern part where the volcano erupted.
Lava flow reached most of the middle of the edge of Bordeira in the village as well as the foot of Pico de Caldera, the southernmost and the west rim.
Bruno Faria, a Cape Verdean vulcanologist, said the intensity of the eruption surpassed that of the 1995 eruption, and approached that of the 1951 eruption, one of the strongest ever recorded on the island. The eruption gained in intensity after 23 November 2014. The village of Portela in the Chã das Caldeiras is now covered by a lava stream which has completely destroyed the housing stock.