Tourists watch latest eruption as Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano sets lava record

Lava fountains from the Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii (L Gallant/USGS via AP)

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano has broken a record with the number of periods it has produced fountains of lava since it began erupting in December 2024.

Monday marked the 48th fountaining episode, setting the record for any one eruption on Kilauea, said Katie Mulliken, a geologist and spokesperson with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Episodes are separated by periods during which little to no lava erupts. Since lava is coming from the same vents in a crater at Kilauea’s summit, it is the same overall eruption, she said.

There are several notable aspects of the current eruption, she said, including how accessible it is for viewing by residents and tourists.

An eruption during the 1980s, in which 47 lava fountaining episodes occurred over about three and a half years, occurred in a more remote area, she said.

The ongoing eruption is also reshaping the topography at the summit, she said.

But the lava fountains also can impact neighbouring communities with volcanic fragments and ash, known as tephra.

Kilauea, located on Hawaii’s Big Island, is one of the world’s most active volcanoes.