Kilauea Volcano Erupts Again, Shooting Lava Fountains in Hawaii’s Summit Crater – A Spectacular Show at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupted again on Friday, propelling molten rock 100 feet high and across the summit crater floor. This is the 31st such display since December, reflecting Kilauea’s status as one of the world’s most active volcanos.

The north vent at the summit crater began spattering continuously in the morning, with lava overflow occurring a few hours later. The vent then started producing lava fountains in the afternoon.

This eruption is contained within the summit crater, posing no immediate threat to homes. Visitors and residents fortunate enough to be near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will have an opportunity to witness the spectacle firsthand. Given previous eruptions, hundreds of thousands more may tune in via popular livestreams provided by the US Geological Survey.

Janice Wei, a dedicated volunteer at the park, captures photos and videos of Halemaumau Crater whenever Kilauea erupts. According to her, the sound of lava shooting high into the air resembles that of a roaring jet engine or crashing ocean waves, while its heat can be felt over a mile away.

Kilauea is located on Hawaii Island, the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, approximately 200 miles south of Honolulu, the state’s largest city on Oahu.

Here are some key details about Kilauea’s latest eruption:

A lower magma chamber beneath Halemaumau Crater is receiving magma from the earth’s interior at a rate of around 5 cubic yards per second, according to Ken Hon, scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This inflates the chamber like a balloon, pushing magma into an upper chamber. From there, it forces its way above ground through cracks.

The same pathway has been used for magma to rise to the surface since December, making each release and subsequent episode part of the same eruption.

Many of these episodes have featured lava soaring over 1,000 feet into the air due to the release of gases as magma rises through narrow, pipelike vents. As more new magma accumulates, it forces the previously degassed magma off, causing it to shoot out like a Champagne bottle whose cork has been popped.

This is the fourth time in 200 years that Kilauea has produced lava fountains in repeated episodes. There were more episodes during the eruption that began in 1983, which featured 44 sessions of shooting fountains spread out over three years. The fountains occurred in a remote area, so few people were able to witness them.

The other two occurrences took place in 1959 and 1969.

The current eruption’s outcome is uncertain. In 1983, Kilauea built enough pressure to open a vent at a lower elevation, causing continuous lava leakage instead of periodic shooting from higher elevations. The eruption continued in various forms for three decades and ended in 2018. A similar event could occur again or the current eruption may cease if its magma supply diminishes at the summit.

Scientists can predict, with some accuracy, when lava is likely to emerge using sensors around the volcano that detect earthquakes and minute changes in ground angle, which indicate whether magma is inflating or deflating.

“Our job is like being a bunch of ants crawling on an elephant trying to figure out how the elephant works,” Hon stated.

The lava fountains have been shorter recently, according to Steve Lundblad, a geology professor at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. This may be due to the vent widening, which reduces pressure on the molten rock.

“We’re still gonna have spectacular eruptions,” Lundblad said. “They’re just going to be wider and not as high.”

Some people view lava flows as destructive, but Huihui Kanahele-Mossman, executive director of the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, sees it differently. Lava hardens into land, forming the foundation for everything on Hawaii Island. Her nonprofit, named after her grandmother—a renowned practitioner of Hawaiian language and culture and founder of a famous hula school—views lava as a natural resource.

Kanahele-Mossman visits the crater regularly during eruptions. She watches with reverence at first but then observes details to compare with centuries-old tales performed by her school. While there, she also delivers chants and offerings. Recently she presented awa, a kava drink, and a fern lei.

“You as the dancer, you are the storyteller, and you carry that history written in those mele forward,” she said, using the Hawaiian word for song. “To be able to actually see that eruption described in the mele, that’s always exciting to us and drives us and motivates us to stay in this tradition.”

Visitation at the park has increased every month so far this year, largely due to the eruption. In April, there were 49% more visitors than in the same month of 2025.

Park spokesperson Jessica Ferracane advises that those wishing to visit should sign up for US Geological Survey alert notifications because the eruption could end unexpectedly. She also warns visitors to stay on marked trails and overlooks because unstable cliff edges and earth cracks may not be immediately apparent, and falling could lead to serious injury or death. Young children should be closely supervised.

Visitors should also be aware of the dangers posed by volcanic gas, glass, and ash. Nighttime visitors should bring a flashlight.