Kilauea Erupts Again, 31st Lava Fountain Since December

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano resumed erupting on Friday, sending lava fountains roughly 100 feet (30 meters) into the air from vents on the floor of Halemaumau Crater, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The outburst marks the volcano’s 31st eruptive episode since December and remains confined within the summit crater inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, leaving surrounding communities and property out of immediate danger. USGS scientists said the eruption began with continuous spattering at the north vent in the morning before lava overflowed and produced higher fountains later in the day. Monitoring instruments show magma is entering a lower chamber at about 3.8 cubic meters per second, inflating the system until pressure forces molten rock to the surface through narrow vents. The agency continues to livestream the activity, drawing onlookers to the park, where visitation has climbed throughout the year. Officials cautioned visitors to stay on marked trails and heed gas and ash advisories, noting that previous episodes have lasted only 10–12 hours. While scientists cannot predict when the current phase will end, they said the activity so far fits a pattern of short, summit-confined events that have characterized Kilauea’s behavior over the past eight months.