Eager visitors flock to see spectacular lava fountaining from Kilauea eruption in Hawaii

HONOLULU (AP) — People were flocking to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Wednesday to get a glimpse of fountaining lava. The eruption that began Dec. 23 in a crater at the summit of Kilauea volcano has paused periodically. It resumed Wednesday morning as a “small sluggish lava flow,” and then increased into a fountain that appeared to be 200 feet (60 meters) high, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said. By the afternoon, visitors to the national park on the Big Island were able to see two fountains from an overlook. The observatory said it was possible fountain heights would increase as more gas-rich lava erupted. “The park is already very busy with people eager to see the eruption and we expect visitation to increase as the news gets out again,” Jessica Ferracane, park spokesperson, said in an email. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. The eruption is visible from many public overlooks in the park. The lava is not posing a hazard to homes or infrastructure.