It’s paused again for now, but the ongoing eruption of Kīlauea volcano hit striking heights once again, with lava fountains reaching more than 1,000 feet high during its most recent eruptive episode.
Episode 23 ended around 10:25 p.m. Sunday, May 25, after six hours of sustained fountaining, the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said in an update Monday.
In an subsequent update Tuesday, HVO said there have been 23 episodes separated by pauses in activity since the current eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater within Kaluapele, the summit caldera, began on Dec. 23, 2024.
Fountaining episodes have occurred about once a week since the eruption started, HVO said.
All activity remains within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Hawai‘i Island, according to HVO, and no significant activity has been noted along Kīlauea's East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
The volcano’s latest fiery display drew throngs of visitors to HVNP.
"This was a three-day Memorial Day weekend and coincided with graduation and happened in the afternoon — as opposed to the middle of the night like some previous episodes — so that timing dramatically increased the number of people who were able to come and see the eruption in person," HVNP spokesperson Jessica Ferracane told Aloha State Daily in an email Tuesday.
Ferracane couldn’t immediately provide a total visitor count for the weekend, but said "it seemed like the whole island was here! Many thousands of locals and visitors came to the park to witness the fountains that exceeded 1,000 feet at times."
The crowds snarled traffic along Highway 11 near the park. An alert from Hawai‘i Police Department late Sunday urged people to avoid the roadway "for the next several hours" because of congestion.
An HPD spokesperson told ASD in an email Tuesday that traffic "was indeed slow-going for about three hours Sunday evening."
"At one point traffic was backed up for about five to six miles to the 24-mile-marker on Highway 11," the spokesperson said.
Compounding the increased visitation is a "significant one-way detour" through Kīlauea Visitor Center, which Ferracane said created a bottle neck just inside the park's entrance.
"This is due to the construction of a roundabout and additional administrative lane near the park entrance," she explained. "This is expected to be complete in another month or two, and will greatly improve visitor safety."
Planning a visit to the park?
During high demand times, Ferracane said visitors should keep in mind that there's an ongoing construction project and visitor center renovation underway at the Kīlauea summit, resulting in limited parking at the visitor center and detours from the park entrance.
"Visitors need to drive slowly, heed all signs and traffic control workers, and bring their patience," she told ASD. "Rideshare if can!"
And if you're visiting the park, which is open 24-7, at night, Ferracane said to bring a head lamp or flashlight — and stay away from cliff edges.
"There are steep and undercut cliff edges with nearly 500-foot drops along the caldera rim," she said. "Stay on trail and out of closed areas. There are plenty of safe overlooks along Crater Rim Trail and the caldera rim to safely watch eruptive activity."
Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
