Kīlauea Summit Inflation Signals Episode 46, Safety Alerts Issued on Big Island

HAWAIʻI VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK (Day.News) — Slow but steady inflation at Kīlauea volcano's summit has intensified over the past 24 hours, signaling the imminent start of Episode 46 in its ongoing episodic eruption. According to the latest U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory update, tiltmeters show rapid inflationary trends and robust glow from vents in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, where Episode 45 concluded on April 23, 2026, at 10:01 a.m. HST after 8.5 hours of continuous lava fountaining. The Volcano Alert Level stands at advisory with an aviation color code of yellow, but officials warn of potential escalation to watch or orange as inflation persists.

The forecast window for high lava fountaining — Episode 46 — spans Tuesday, May 5, to Friday, May 8, adjustable based on real-time tiltmeter data. This follows a pattern of periodic summit eruptions that resumed in December 2024, with lava confined to the caldera but capable of producing plumes and tephra fallout affecting areas up to 25 miles away, as seen in prior episodes with fountains reaching 1,600 feet. Park roads within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park remain open, but Crater Rim Drive access near the summit is restricted during active phases.

In response, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency issued updated evacuation guidelines Friday, targeting zones A and B in Puna and Kaʻū districts, including communities like Volcano, Eden Roc, and Mountain View. "Residents should pre-identify evacuation routes via Highway 11 or Saddle Road and maintain emergency kits," said agency spokesperson Lisa Rice in a statement first reported by Aloha State Daily. No immediate evacuations are ordered, but sirens could activate if fountaining breaches containment, echoing 2018 flows that destroyed 700+ homes and boiled ocean waters near Pohoiki.