Now, the government appears to be looking for ways to put it out. The crater is located near the village of Darvaza. While known as the Gates of Hell, many also call it the Darvaza gas crater.

There, a fire pit known as the Darvaza Crater earned the name “Gates of Hell”—or “Door to Hell”—because it burns bright day and night. It’s hard to imagine such a thing, but in 2013 ...