HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, HI – Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was aglow in neon orange early Friday morning during the most recent eruption episode of Mount Kilauea.
Footage shows a fountain of lava shooting more than 500 feet high – or nearly as tall as the Washington Monument – from the summit of Kilauea.
Park visitors can be seen in the foreground watching the mesmerizing spectacle, as the lava fountain illuminated the pitch-dark night.
Looped video of the lava fountain erupting early Friday morning.
(Janice Wei / NPS Video / FOX Weather)
The lava fountain was one of several during this 9-hour eruption episode on Kilauea, with some lava fountains shooting up to 800 feet high, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
They noted that these lava fountains were the highest on Kilauea since an earlier episode in late July.
‘VOLNADO’ FORMS INSIDE HAWAII’S KILAUEA VOLCANO
Officials estimate that more than 8 million cubic yards, or a quarter of the size of an Olympic swimming pool, of lava erupted during the episode Friday morning.
Satellite imagery of the Kilauea Caldera and the Halema’uma’u Crater within.
(NASA )
Known as episode 33, it was the latest of an ongoing eruption that began just before Christmas on Dec. 23, 2024.
Episode 33 occurred inside Halema’uma’u Crater, which is located inside the summit caldera of Kilauea. The crater is the center of activity at Kilauea, according to NASA.
The episode finished Friday afternoon, according to the USGS.
Mount Kilauea is located on the southeast side of the Big Island of Hawaii. The USGS said it is the youngest volcano in the state and one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
