Massive Lava Fountains at Kīlauea Destroy USGS Camera; Rare Triple Fountain Recorded

10:30 PM, 12/08/2025

Over the weekend, towering lava fountains at Kīlauea engulfed and destroyed a USGS monitoring camera inside the closed Halemaʻumaʻu crater. The fountaining—measured near 1,100 feet and including a rare triple fountain—lasted more than 12 hours. Officials warned of volcanic gas, Pele’s hair and falling tephra within 1–3 miles; the area remains closed and a Code Orange alert is in effect. The USGS expects another eruption within two to three weeks.

Volcanologists lost a live U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) camera after a dramatic fountaining episode at Kīlauea on Hawaii’s Big Island. Over the weekend, towering lava fountains overtook and engulfed the camera that was placed inside a closed section of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Eruption Details

Video from the event shows the camera failing as advancing lava reached and covered the instrument. The USGS reported the eruption began Saturday morning, with lava shooting at least 1,000 feet into the air and some measurements for the episode near 1,100 feet. Observers documented a "rare" triple fountain—three simultaneous jets erupting from vents in the north and south cones—and the sequence of activity lasted more than 12 hours.

The agency noted that since this eruptive sequence began in December 2024, several events have produced even higher fountains, with some reaching up to 1,500 feet.

Hazards and Warnings

Officials warned of multiple hazards associated with the fountaining. These include elevated concentrations of volcanic gas and Pele’s hair—fine strands of volcanic glass created when magma is hurled into the air. Scientists also cautioned that tephra (hot, glassy volcanic fragments), ash, pumice, scoria and reticulite can fall within roughly 1–3 miles of the eruptive vents. Such fragments have previously fallen on Highway 11, west of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Park Status and Outlook

Ground instability, cracking and rockfalls remain a safety concern around the Kīlauea caldera; for that reason, the area inside the crater has been closed to the public since 2007. A Code Orange (Volcano Watch) alert was in effect as of Monday morning, indicating an eruption is likely or occurring but ash emission is none or minor. The USGS stated that another eruptive episode is expected within the next two to three weeks.

Key Takeaway: The eruption produced spectacular, hazardous lava fountaining that destroyed monitoring equipment and underscores ongoing risks near Kīlauea’s summit.