No large effusive eruptions have occurred since the 250,000 ± 5,000 eruption, and Holocene or recent eruptions have not been reported.
While it was at first proposed that postglacial lavas existed it is now known that the volcano has been dormant since 271,000 years ago and glaciation has affected the youngest lava flows.
The volcano is considered to be dormant.

Active fumaroles occur in two fields below the summit, with a number of tiny vents located between the two summit peaks; vapour emissions are visible from close distance.
The summit fumaroles have temperatures of less than 80 °C (176 °F) and their gases contain large quantities of carbon dioxide, water and larger amounts of hydrogen sulfide than sulfur dioxide perhaps due to the latter being filtered out by a hydrothermal system.
The fumaroles have emplaced abundant sulfur and silification has been observed.
Satellite images have observed relatively invariant temperature anomalies ("hot spots") on Uturuncu between its two summit peaks; these temperature anomalies of about 15 °C (27 °F) are among the largest fumarole fields visible to satellites.
The existence of intense fumarolic activity on the northwestern slope at 5,500 metres (18,000 ft) was already reported in 1956.

Additionally, a spring on the northwestern flank produces water with temperatures of 20 °C (68 °F).
The presence of a weak hydrothermal system is likely at Uturuncu albeit probably at great depth, considering the low temperature and spread out nature of the fumarolic activity.
There may be a shallow magma chamber below the volcano at 1–3 kilometres (0.62–1.86 mi) depth below sea level.
No large effusive eruptions have occurred since the 250,000 ± 5,000 eruption, and Holocene or recent eruptions have not been reported. While it was at first proposed that postglacial lavas existed it is now known that the volcano has been dormant since 271,000 years ago and glaciation has affected the youngest lava flows. The volcano is considered to be dormant.
Active fumaroles occur in two fields below the summit, with a number of tiny vents located between the two summit peaks; vapour emissions are visible from close distance. The summit fumaroles have temperatures of less than 80 °C (176 °F) and their gases contain large quantities of carbon dioxide, water and larger amounts of hydrogen sulfide than sulfur dioxide perhaps due to the latter being filtered out by a hydrothermal system. The fumaroles have emplaced abundant sulfur and silification has been observed. Satellite images have observed relatively invariant temperature anomalies ("hot spots") on Uturuncu between its two summit peaks; these temperature anomalies of about 15 °C (27 °F) are among the largest fumarole fields visible to satellites. The existence of intense fumarolic activity on the northwestern slope at 5,500 metres (18,000 ft) was already reported in 1956.
Additionally, a spring on the northwestern flank produces water with temperatures of 20 °C (68 °F). The presence of a weak hydrothermal system is likely at Uturuncu albeit probably at great depth, considering the low temperature and spread out nature of the fumarolic activity. There may be a shallow magma chamber below the volcano at 1–3 kilometres (0.62–1.86 mi) depth below sea level.
Uturuncu