The on-and-off eruption of Kīlauea volcano broke a record Monday with the number of periods it has produced fountains of lava since it began erupting in December 2024, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said.
Monday marked 48 fountaining episodes, setting the record for any one eruption on Kīlauea, said Katie Mulliken, a geologist and spokesperson with the observatory.
Episodes are separated by periods during which little to no lava erupts. Since lava is coming from the same vents in a crater at Kīlauea's summit, it is the same overall eruption, she said in an email.
There are several notable aspects of the current eruption, Mulliken said, including how accessible it is for viewing by residents and tourists. An eruption during the 1980s, in which 47 lava fountaining episodes occurred over about 3 1/2 years, occurred in a more remote area, she said.
The ongoing eruption is also reshaping the topography at the summit, she said.
But the lava fountains can also impact neighboring communities with volcanic fragments and ash, known as tephra.
Episode 48 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at the summit of Kīlauea ended Monday at 1:37 p.m., after 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining from the north vent. The eruption is currently paused.
