Episode 34 eruption at Kīlauea sends lava fountains soaring
By Carly Yoshida
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KILAUEA, Hawai’i (KITV) — A new eruption, called Episode 34, began at Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park at 12:53 a.m. on Oct. 1.
Lava fountains started the night before, around 11:43 p.m. on Sept. 30, from the north vent inside the crater. At first, the fountains were low, about 30 feet high, but they quickly grew larger.
By early Oct. 1, lava fountains had reached up to 330 feet high and were tilted slightly to the northeast. In past eruptions, fountains at Halemaʻumaʻu have shot as high as 1,000 feet, with plumes rising up to 20,000 feet into the air.
Before this eruption started, scientists observed over 120 small gas bursts, known as “gas pistoning,” beginning on the night of Sept. 28. These bursts caused small lava fountains and overflows that slowly increased in strength and became more regular through Sept. 29 and 30. The eruption fully kicked off just before 1 a.m. on Oct. 1, when lava began flowing steadily and ground measurements showed signs of change inside the volcano.
Right now, all the lava and activity are staying inside the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, and there is no threat to people or airports on the island. Winds are blowing from the northeast, which may carry volcanic gases and particles toward the southwest.
This eruption is part of an ongoing pattern. Since Dec. 2024, most eruptions in Halemaʻumaʻu have lasted less than a day and are usually followed by several days of quiet. Scientists continue to monitor the activity closely with cameras and instruments around the crater.
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