Hawaii's Kilauea volcano has set a new record for the number of lava fountaining episodes in any single eruption, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory announced on Monday.
Since the eruption began in December 2024, Kilauea has produced 48 distinct fountaining episodes, surpassing the previous record of 47 set during an eruption in the 1980s. Geologist Katie Mulliken, a spokesperson for the observatory, confirmed the milestone in an email.
Each episode is separated by periods of little to no lava activity, but because the lava is erupting from the same vents in a crater at the summit, scientists consider it a single ongoing eruption.
Mulliken noted several notable aspects of the current eruption. Unlike the 1980s eruption, which occurred in a remote area over about three and a half years, the current activity is easily accessible for residents and tourists to view. The eruption is also reshaping the summit's topography.
However, the lava fountains can impact nearby communities by producing volcanic fragments and ash, known as tephra. Kilauea, located on Hawaii's Big Island, is one of the world's most active volcanoes.
