Kilauea volcano has entered its 54th eruption episode since 2023, sending lava fountains soaring at its Hawaii summit.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed that lava began to fountain at approximately 10:30 a.m. HST, with the eruption continuing into Tuesday evening. Fountains reached between 50 and 75 feet high as of Tuesday night, with officials anticipating rapid growth to roughly 500 feet.
Video footage shared by the USGS on its platforms captured steadily increasing lava fountains gushing from Kilauea and splashing down, creating what the agency described as a healthy flowing stream.
This episode is expected to produce moderate amounts of tephra, with larger volcanic debris falling closer to the vents. Ash and Pele’s hair, the thin strands of volcanic glass formed during eruptions, will affect communities throughout Kaʻu and Pāhala.
The timing of Kilauea’s latest activity carries additional weight given recent severe weather across the Hawaiian Islands. Tropical weather conditions could have created deadly or catastrophic scenarios had they coincided with an active eruption period.
USGS officials emphasized they will continue monitoring this eruption as it develops, adding to what has become a remarkably sustained period of volcanic activity spanning nearly two years.
In the viral moment that established this ongoing pattern, Kilauea began its series of episodic eruptions in 2023, with each episode marked by summit lava fountaining and varying degrees of volcanic debris production. The 54 episodes represent one of the most active sustained periods in the volcano’s modern recorded history, drawing continuous scientific attention and public fascination to one of the world’s most closely observed volcanoes.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory maintains continuous surveillance of Kilauea’s summit and rift zones, with monitoring equipment tracking seismic activity, gas emissions, and ground deformation around the clock.