After a three-month pause, Kilauea volcano started erupting again on the morning of June 7. The eruption is contained to the summit of the volcano in Kilauea's caldera at a closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii.
The eruption started with a burst of light at the surface of Halemaumau Crater, and that was followed by lava fountains that reached 200 feet high. Since then, fountain heights have decreased, but the flow has covered the crater floor and added 32 feet of new lava.
Kilauea volcano's alert level was changed from "watch" to "warning," but no one is in immediate danger so it was changed back to "watch" the next day. Associated safety hazards can include volcanic glass fragments, known as Pele's hair, that can blow in the wind, as well as other volcanic particles that can cause skin and eye irritation. But the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says as of now that it's confined to the closed area.
It's never certain how long the eruption will last. It could stop in the next few days or last years. For now, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is expecting thousands of visitors. It's asking the public to stay on marked trails, to not enter closed areas and to avoid cliff edges and cracks. The park is open 24 hours a day, but to avoid crowds, visits are encouraged after 9 p.m. or before 5 a.m.
Hawaii tourism officials urged tourists to be respectful of cultural and spiritual meanings when flocking to a national park on the Big Island to get a glimpse of the latest eruption, reported the Associated Press.
"Out of respect for the cultural and spiritual significance of a volcanic eruption and the crater area for many kamaʻāina, the Hawaii Tourism Authority urges mindfulness when planning a visit to the volcano," the Hawaii Tourism Authority said in a statement Wednesday night, using a Hawaiian word often used for Hawaii residents.