HONOLULU—Scientists were bracing for high lava fountains Tuesday during the latest episode of an ongoing eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano.
Lava fountains have reached heights of 1,000 feet (305 meters) during recent eruptive episodes, drawing visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to marvel at the fiery glow.
The 17th episode began Monday night, producing “low spatter fountains” 15 to 30 feet (4.5 to 9 meters) high, according to an update from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
“High lava fountains are likely to follow the current low fountaining and lava flows,” the observatory said.
Over 1,200 viewers were watching a USGS livestream of the lava Tuesday morning, which showed spewing bright-red molten rock.
The lava has remained inside the volcano’s summit caldera and within the park, and no residential areas have been threatened.
Kilauea, located on the southeastern part of the Big Island, is one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
Kilauea’s latest eruption began Dec. 23 and has been in a pausing and resuming state since.
