Observations of this volcano and neighbouring Lastarria indicate that they are part of an actively deforming system, named by Pritchard and Simons (2002) the Lazufre system with an axis length of . The modelled centre of deformation is closer to Azufre than Lastarria. Sometimes Cerro Bayo Gorbea is also associated to this complex. This inflation started in the late 1990s and is probably due to the accumulation of volcanic fluids (hydrothermal or magmatic) beneath the volcanic system. The precise date when the uplift started is unclear, because satellite observation of the area is scarce. The start of the uplift may be related to an earthquake in Chile in 1998, but this is questionable. Aftershocks of the 1995 Antofagasta earthquake may be responsible instead. Between 1998 and 2000 the long axis of deformation amounted to , with a later increase to . In 2008 the area had already reached a diameter of and surface area of . In 2015 deformation was observed over a surface of , at depths and with speeds of until 2010. This uncertainty is largely because estimates trade off between depth, pressure and shape of the deformation. Research in 2016 indicated that the uplift dome has a diameter of . Since 2005 uplift speeds of have been observed with InSAR and a magma flux rate of has been inferred. Other research has indicated an inflation rate of , comparable with other plutons in the area. One estimate in 2009 indicated a depth . Another estimate in 2016 indicated a chamber depth of .