The Pico do Fogo is a stratovolcanic cone that rises about 1200 m above the east side of the Chã das Caldeiras. The Chã das Caldeiras is a semicircular rock basin at a height of between 1600 m and 1700 m above sea level with a diameter of about 9 km. The Chã das Caldeiras is not a classic collapse crater, but was created by an enormous landslide. After that, the Pico do Fogo was built up on the east side. To the south and west, the Chã das Caldeiras is dominated by almost vertical, 1000 m high rock walls, the Bordeira de Fogo.
A massive eruption from the main crater of the Pico in 1680 gave the island, then called "São Filipe", the name Fogo (English: "fire"), which it still uses today. Further eruptions followed in 1785, 1799, 1847, 1852, 1857 and 1951.
During the eruption on April 2, 1995, the lava flow of which was limited to the interior of the Chã das Caldeiras, a small secondary volcano (Pico Pequeno 1950 m) was formed at the western foot of the Pico. After the eruption of Pico Pequeno, large parts of the cultural landscape in the Caldeira were destroyed, and the 2000 inhabitants were temporarily evacuated.
On the morning of November 23, 2014, there was another eruption with ash and lava ejection at the same location as the 1995 eruption. The ongoing eruption destroyed the southern and central part of Portela and about 70% of the neighboring municipality of Bangaeira by December 7, 2014. The eruption increased in intensity and covered most of the hamlet of Portela with a lava flow that destroyed all the inhabitants' belongings. On February 8, 2015, the volcano stopped erupting again after 77 days.
Living conditions are still not easy, there is no public water or electricity supply. Emerging tourism and small-scale viticulture are the main sources of income. Pico is part of a nature reserve. For the strenuous but not particularly difficult hike to the summit, it is not necessary to be accompanied by a mountain guide. The town of Chã das Caldeiras is connected to São Filipe, the main town on the island of Fogo, by a road via Salto and Monte Largo and can be reached by taxi, car and shared taxis ("aluguer", once a day). Coffee, beans, oranges, bananas and corn, among other crops, are grown on the northeast slopes of the island. The eastern slope of Pico is not accessible. A road runs along the coastline past the volcano to Mosteiros through a very barren landscape. The volcano is clearly visible almost the entire way.