See fountains of bright red lava erupting from Kilauea Volcano
The plume reached 35,000 feet above sea level, according to the National Weather Service.
Hawaii’s Big Island’s Kilauea volcano began erupting on March 10, spewing rock fragments the size of soccer balls, threatening nearby communities and closing nearby highways.
“Active fountains have begun,” Hawaii Volcanoes National Park said on its Facebook page.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the fallout has created hazardous conditions in downwind areas, with some residents reporting more than an inch of tephra (a mixture of magma, rock and volcanic glass) on roads in golf course sections.
The eruption began at 9:17 a.m. Hawaii time, and the plume eventually reached a height of 25,000 feet above sea level, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS video from the scene showed dramatic footage of orange lava spewing from the volcano’s Halemaumau crater and plumes of black smoke drifting skyward.
Park officials said Kilauea’s summit was closed due to “significant ashfall,” while ash also forced the closure of a 26-mile section of nearby Highway 11.
“Please avoid the area,” officials warned on the park’s Facebook page.
Large debris fell in nearby areas, according to the USGS Observatory.
“Residences on the golf course and Highway 11 are experiencing up to 5 inches of tephra,” observatory observers wrote.
Kilauea Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and has been rekindling sporadically since December 2024. This eruption is the 43rd since December 23, 2024.
An eruption in late 2025 produced lava spews that lasted for five hours, fountains reaching heights of 1,100 feet, and a wind vortex of ash known as a Vornado in the caldera in November.
Reporter Kathleen Wong contributed to this report.
