USGS reports that Episode 36 of Kīlauea's current eruption produced nearly five hours of continuous fountaining, with lava columns measured between 1,000 and 1,100 feet. Flows covered up to 80% of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor but remained inside a closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park; a Code Orange Volcano Watch remains posted. The episodic eruption began Dec. 23, 2024, and has produced fountaining not seen since 1983–86; Episode 35 previously reached up to 1,500 feet and produced about 13 million cubic yards of lava.
Kīlauea Lava Fountains Reach Up to 1,100 Feet in Episode 36, USGS Says
USGS reports that Episode 36 of Kīlauea's current eruption produced nearly five hours of continuous fountaining, with lava columns measured between 1,000 and 1,100 feet. Flows covered up to 80% of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor but remained inside a closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park; a Code Orange Volcano Watch remains posted. The episodic eruption began Dec. 23, 2024, and has produced fountaining not seen since 1983–86; Episode 35 previously reached up to 1,500 feet and produced about 13 million cubic yards of lava.
09:17 AM, 11/11/2025Environment
Kīlauea lava fountains reach up to 1,100 feet in Episode 36, USGS reports
Episode 36 of Kīlauea's current eruption sequence on Hawaii's Big Island began on Sunday morning and produced nearly five hours of continuous lava fountaining, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported. Observations from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory measured fountains rising between 1,000 and 1,100 feet above the vent at times.
So much lava was emitted that flows covered as much as 80% of the floor of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The activity remained confined to a closed section of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and did not extend beyond park closures, the USGS said. A Volcano Watch (Code Orange) remains in effect, indicating an eruption is likely or ongoing; ash production has been described as none or minimal.
The current episodic eruption began on Dec. 23, 2024, and has produced vigorous fountaining not seen since the 1983–86 fountains that marked the start of the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption. Episode 35, which occurred the night of Oct. 17, produced the tallest single fountains observed so far in this series — up to 1,500 feet from the south vent and about 1,100 feet from the north vent — and yielded roughly 13 million cubic yards of lava at a combined average rate near 500 cubic yards per second, according to USGS estimates.
Hazards and safety
The USGS warns of multiple hazards associated with these eruptions. These include elevated volcanic gases (which can be harmful to people, pets and vegetation), airborne fragments such as ash, pumice, scoria and reticulite, and fine glass strands known as Pele's hair, which can travel more than 10 miles from the vent. Volcanic debris has also been reported falling on Highway 11 west of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Other dangers include ground instability around the Kīlauea caldera, including cracking and rockfalls near the crater rim. Visitors should respect park closures and local advisories; stay well outside closed zones and follow guidance from the USGS and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park officials.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey — Hawaiian Volcano Observatory