HONOLULU — Kilauea, Hawaii’s most dynamic volcano, unleashed a display of lava that soared up to 700 feet (215 meters) into the air on Thursday, marking the latest event in an ongoing series of eruptions. Beginning once more at the summit caldera within the boundaries of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Wednesday morning after a brief intermission, the volcanic activity posed no immediate threats to inhabited areas, as confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The outburst, identified as the 14th in this sequence, concluded on Thursday afternoon after a 28-hour display. In the final seven hours of this eruption, lava fountains reached impressive heights of 600 feet (180 meters), as reported by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory of the USGS. Early in the afternoon, the volcanic activity was vivid with vigorous, radiant red lava fountains visible on webcam livestreams, but these later transitioned to plumes of smoke.
This eruption cycle, which commenced on December 23, has taken place intermittently, with more than a dozen eruptions starting and stopping since then. Individual episodes have ranged from as short as 13 hours to a prolonged eight-day event. Each occurrence has featured lava shooting skyward from vents in the caldera, creating spectacular scenes for visitors to the park.
Families taking advantage of school spring break joined other onlookers at various viewing points within the national park, shared spokesperson Jessica Ferracane. “Visitors are filled with excitement, often gasping in awe, smiling broadly, and eagerly hurrying or even running from parking areas to vantage points, eager to witness the lava activity before it subsides,” she relayed in an email shortly before the activity diminished.
Since 2020, this marks the sixth eruption event at the summit of Kilauea. Situated within the expansive Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are the summits of Kilauea alongside Mauna Loa, both renowned for their active volcanic history. The park, located on Hawaii’s Big Island, lies approximately 200 miles (320 kilometers) to the south of Honolulu, positioning it as a pivotal attraction for those drawn to observe nature’s fiery displays.