The Ring of Fire (Circum-Pacific belt) is a very geologically active path around the Pacific Ocean including 452 volcanoes, and over 75 percent of the world's active and dormant volcanoes. Generally, volcanoes and other geologic activity are concentrated in areas where the Earth's crust is considered to be under stress through a widely accepted theoretical process known as plate tectonics. The rapid increase in the population and economic activity around the Ring of Fire is of great concern to disaster relief agencies that try to keep the population safe. The economic value of the region requires that disaster relief and forecasting efforts be enhanced.