Kilauea's 43rd Eruptive Episode Features 1,310-Foot Lava Fountains

Kilauea volcano, an active shield volcano on the southeastern shore of Hawaii Island, experienced a significant eruptive event on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. This activity, designated as Episode 43 of the volcano's ongoing cycle that began on December 23, 2024, was marked by intense lava fountaining that reached an apex of approximately 1,310 feet, equivalent to 400 meters.

The eruption commenced around 9:17 a.m. HST from the Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, with initial activity from the north vent followed by the south vent beginning just before 10:00 a.m. HST. The high-intensity, nine-hour episode concluded abruptly at 6:21 p.m. HST, generating substantial fallout of tephra—a mixture of glassy volcanic rock, ash, and Pele's hair—which created hazardous surface conditions across the region.

The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) responded by raising the Volcano Alert Level from WATCH to WARNING and simultaneously elevating the Aviation Color Code from ORANGE to RED at 10:54 a.m. HST due to the volume of tephra produced. The National Weather Service and the Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center reported the eruption plume reached altitudes of 25,000 feet above sea level.

In response to the hazardous accumulation of fallout, which included fragments reportedly measuring up to six inches near the Volcano Golf Course, authorities implemented immediate safety protocols. Sections of Highway 11 were temporarily closed between mile markers 24 and 40 because the fallout covered road markings and increased the risk of skidding. Furthermore, the summit area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, where the eruption was confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater, was temporarily closed, including all trails and outdoor overlooks, requiring park rangers to evacuate visitors.

The HVO confirmed that lava flows from the event covered approximately one-third of the floor within Halemaʻumaʻu crater. Following the episode's cessation, alert levels reverted to WATCH and ORANGE by Tuesday evening. Preliminary models suggest the next fountaining event, Episode 44, may occur between the end of March and the first half of April, while the area around the vents remains under monitoring for potential crater wall instability and rockfalls.