United States - January 12, 2026 Rivers of lava poured from multiple vents inside the Halemaʻumaʻu crater overnight Monday, signaling renewed activity at Kilauea as scientists anticipate another eruption. The United States Geological Survey said intermittent lava flows and dome fountaining continued through the weekend, pointing to increasing unrest at one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Dome fountains, described by the USGS as small bubbles of lava, are often a warning sign. They typically come before much taller lava fountains, which can send jets of molten rock hundreds of feet into the air. Kilauea has been erupting episodically since Dec. 23, 2024, according to the USGS. Each eruptive episode has lasted less than 12 hours, with pauses between events sometimes stretching beyond two weeks. Based on activity observed over the weekend, the agency expects the 40th eruptive episode to begin sometime between now and Saturday. In a Sunday update, the USGS said the prolonged precursor activity makes another eruption later in the week more likely. All recent eruptions have been confined to an area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island that has remained closed since late 2007. The USGS also warned that eruptions can release volcanic gas made up of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, which may be hazardous to areas immediately downwind. Kilauea’s most recent eruptive episode occurred on Dec. 24, 2025.