Episode 43 of Kīlauea eruption features lava fountaining at Halemaʻumaʻu

Episode 43 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu began at the summit of Kīlauea at 9:17 a.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. 

Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos that show eruptive lava fountains are available here: https://youtube.com/@usgs/streams 

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has updated an ashfall advisory to a warning, effective until 5 p.m. for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National park and areas to the north and east of the park, including the town of Volcano.

A Volcano Warning means a hazardous eruption is imminent, underway, or suspected. Due to Kilauea’s Volcano Warning, the Volcano National Park is closed. Highway 11 is closed between the 23 and 40 mile markers due to dangerous conditions of falling tephra. If in the area seek shelter indoors. The following evacuation shelter is open: Kaʻū District/Robert N. Herkes Gym.

As of noon, the south fountain is 1,150 feet high and the north vent is 1000 feet high. Maximum fountain heights for both vents were over 1,300 feet. Lava flows are have covered about one third of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

Ground-level sensors near the eruptive vents indicate that winds are light and variable, which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material may be distributed unpredictably from Halemaʻumaʻu, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Most lava fountaining episodes since Dec. 23, 2024, have continued for a day or less.

Flows have been confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea’s summit caldera. 

“Other significant hazards exist around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes. Close to the vents, the tephra material on the crater rim is prone to cracking, slumping, and small landslides that sometimes expose hot and molten material within,” the HVO reports. 

“This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea’s caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007,” according to the latest HVO update.