Hawaii's Kilauea volcano broke a record on Monday for the number of lava fountaining episodes since it began erupting in December 2024, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. The 48th episode surpassed the previous record of 47 set during an eruption in the 1980s.
Geologist and observatory spokesperson Katie Mulliken confirmed that the current eruption has produced more fountaining episodes than any other single eruption on Kilauea. Episodes are separated by periods of little to no lava activity, but because lava continues to emerge from the same vents in the summit crater, it is considered one continuous eruption.
Mulliken noted that the eruption's accessibility is a key feature, allowing residents and tourists to view the activity easily. In contrast, the 1980s eruption, which had 47 episodes over about three and a half years, occurred in a more remote area.
The ongoing eruption is also reshaping the summit's topography, but it poses hazards to nearby communities through tephra—volcanic fragments and ash. Kilauea, on Hawaii's Big Island, remains one of the world's most active volcanoes.
