HAWAII COUNTY, Hawaii – According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Kilauea volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is erupting.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began at 2 a.m. local time Monday and raised Kilauea’s volcano warning system to the highest alert level within a closed area of ​​Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

“The initial stages of eruptions are dynamic,” the USGS said.

Webcam images show a series of fissures erupting lava fountains and feeding lava flows at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu in Kaluapele (the summit caldera), officials said.

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The USGS said the activity is currently limited to the summit caldera. However, large amounts of volcanic gas, especially water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, pose a major threat.

This gas can have widespread impacts downwind, creating a visible haze known as volcanic smog, officials said. Residents and visitors are asked to minimize contact with volcanic ash and other volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation.

The last known eruption began on September 15 in the Middle East Rift Zone and covered 4 acres with lava. After a brief pause, activity at Nāpau Crater resumed and continued over the next few days, eventually covering 156 acres. This represented a significant shift in volcanic activity in Kīlauea, as noted by the National Park Service (NPS).

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Kīlauea is the youngest and most active volcano on the island of Hawaii and one of the most active in the world. It has been erupting continuously since 1983.

According to the NPS, there have been only brief periods of calm in Kīlauea’s recorded history. It has covered almost 90% of its surface with lava flows over the past 1,000 years. Some say that even the name Kīlauea can be translated as “spit out” or “spread much.”

The classic shield volcano with its gently sloping sides first emerged from the sea around 280,000 years ago. Its extensive surface covers an area slightly smaller than that of the island of Oʻahu.