Glowing Rivers of Lava Snake Across Kīlauea Crater as Volcano Builds to New Eruption

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, United States – Glowing rivers of lava snaked across the crater of Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano as it built towards a new eruption episode.

A US Geological Survey livestream camera on the southern rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater captured the orange lava flows spreading across the dark crater floor at dawn on Wednesday, November 4, as gas and steam drifted from the vent.

Lava began overflowing from the north vent on Monday, November 2, according to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which raised the volcano's alert level to WATCH.

The observatory said high lava fountaining for episode 56 of the eruption could begin any time up to November 8. During the last episode, on October 17, lava fountains reached around 720 feet high.

Kīlauea has been erupting on and off since December 23, 2024, with activity confined to a closed area of the national park.