Lava flows once again from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano

Kilauea roared back to life Thursday afternoon with fountains of lava spewing within Halemaumau Crater, nearly a month after the volcano went silent.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory officials said the volcanic activity was confined to Kilauea’s caldera and that no communities or development are under threat.

“Things can always change,” said Matthew Patrick, HVO geologist, “but for now it’s just in the crater.”

It was at about 4:34 p.m. that scientists detected a glow in Kilauea summit’s webcam images, indicating that the eruption had resumed.

The eruption occurred a little over an hour after HVO reported a significant increase in seismic activity and ground movement at the summit and had raised the volcano’s alert level and aviation code from advisory to watch.

But it wasn’t long before HVO ended up raising the alert level again — this time from watch to warning — and the aviation color code was moved from orange to red, the highest level.

As day turned to night Thursday, the darkened sky above the caldera within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was lit up with the brilliant glow of the volcano. Visitors and residents alike raced to the overlooks above the crater to claim the best spots to view the spectacle.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Jessica Ferracane, park spokesperson. “It’s never a dull moment when you have two active volcanoes in your backyard.”

Kilauea had paused Dec. 9 after about 14 months of continuous volcanic activity, all within the crater. It stopped at about the same time as neighbor Mauna Loa ceased erupting following 12 days of activity, its first in 38 years.

While Mauna Loa has exhibited few signs of life since it stopped erupting, Kilauea continued to generate seismic activity and even experienced a few earthquake swarms in the past week, Patrick said, but it wasn’t enough to indicate that an eruption was imminent.

“Then this afternoon it ramped up quickly,” he said.

Ferracane said she saw a number of small rockfalls along the edge of Halemaumau Crater even before the volcano came to life.

The opening phases of eruptions are known to be dynamic and spectacular, producing showy fountains. By 5 p.m. at least two 30-foot glowing fountains were spewing lava into the crater.

HVO said it was busy evaluating the eruption and its hazards, including its volcanic gas, a hazard that can have far-reaching effects downwind.

Officials said they would continue to monitor Kilauea closely and report any significant changes in future notices, which will be published daily, rather than weekly, to update the status of the volcano.

One question that hasn’t been answered: Is Thursday’s eruption considered a continuation of the previous eruption, or is it a new one? The previous eruption, which started Sept. 29, 2021, did experience a number of pauses, but never one this long.

Patrick said he wasn’t sure that determination had been made yet.

For those planning to view the eruption, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has a web page where people can get some viewing tips and recommendations. The page is at bit.ly/3XbmoHA.

Here are a few tips from the park:

>> Be prepared for crowds.

>> Parking may be limited.

>> Pack layers; it can be cold and rainy.

>> Be respectful to this sacred cultural landscape.