Kilauea eruption sends lava 500 feet high; USGS warns of gas and 'Pele's hair'

Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted early Tuesday in what the U.S. Geological Survey labeled Episode 32, sending lava fountains as high as 500 feet and filling a large portion of the summit crater with molten rock.

The event, part of an eruption cycle that began in December 2024 at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, lasted a little more than 13 hours before ending abruptly at 2:01 a.m. ET (8:01 p.m. Hawaii time). The eruption produced a dense plume that rose to roughly 10,000 feet above the island and deposited lava over an estimated 40 to 50 percent of the bowl-shaped Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit.

Although the USGS said the eruption did not pose an immediate threat to residents on the island, it issued warnings about volcanic gases and small volcanic glass particles known as "Pele's hair" that can be carried downwind. Officials cautioned that vog — a hazy mixture of volcanic gases and aerosolized particles — could reduce air quality and cause breathing difficulties for people in affected areas.

USGS scientists characterized this episode as one in a continuing sequence of summit eruptions and said monitoring would continue for further activity. Video and real-time observations posted by the agency and park personnel showed intense fountaining within the crater during the event, which produced substantial incandescent spatter and ash that was lofted into the plume.

Local and federal monitoring networks track gas emissions, seismicity and ground deformation to assess ongoing hazards. The guidance from authorities recommended that people with respiratory conditions, the elderly and young children avoid exposure to areas where vog or airborne volcanic fragments might be present and to heed any public-safety notifications.

Kilauea has been more active since late 2024, with episodic summit and flank activity that has periodically altered crater morphology and affected air quality on the island. While much of the hazard from the latest episode was confined to the immediate summit area, the reach of volcanic gas and fine glassy fragments means public-health impacts can extend miles downwind, depending on wind direction and atmospheric conditions.

Park and USGS officials said they would continue to analyze deposits from the eruption and update forecasts and advisories as new data arrive. Visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and residents of the Big Island were advised to monitor official channels for the latest safety information and air-quality statements.