Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Officials at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park are bracing for crowds eager to get a glimpse of lava fountaining from an eruption. The eruption began last month in a crater at the summit of Kilauea volcano and has paused periodically.

After a three-month pause, Kīlauea started erupting again on Dec. 23. The on-again-off-again eruption has delighted parkgoers. The Conversation talked to Jessica Ferracane from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park about what people should expect when they visit the park to see the volcanoes.

Increased earthquake activity began at about 2 a.m. and within about half an hour webcam images began to show lava emerging through fissures in the caldera or spurting in fountains. The eruption slowed significantly between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. and appears to be paused.

About two months before Maunaloa spewed lava, geologists detected small earthquakes nearby and other signals. Now a study of the volcano’s lava confirms that molten rock within Earth's crust was rising upward about 70 days before the eruption in late November 2022.

Snow has fallen on Hawaiʻi's tallest peak, briefly turning the mountaintop into a winter wonderland. The summit area of Maunakea on Hawaiʻi Island got about 2 inches of white powder this week.

Kīlauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, was spotted erupting this week in a remote area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

The head of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said providing near-constant updates on an eruption is critical to fighting misinformation. Government agencies also have to deal with the fact that people sometimes want to go toward — rather than away — from an eruption, even if it’s dangerous. HPR's Savannah Harriman-Pote reports.

An increase in earthquakes has caused various closures at Volcanoes National Park. There were over 160 reported earthquakes over the weekend.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is closing two roads and prohibiting open fire in specific areas due to a recent elevated fire risk. Low rainfall, reduced humidity and gust winds have created dry conditions.

The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says the eruption began early Monday, about 1 mile south of the Kīlauea caldera inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.