Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineers on July 10, 2025, visited monitoring stations downwind of the Kīlauea summit eruptive vents. They wore snowshoes, as the large footprint keeps the field engineers walking on top of the frothy pumice everywhere instead of sinking through it. (Photo Courtesy: U.S. Geological Survey/M.Warren)

Another explosive episode of Kilauea’s volcanic activity came and went Wednesday after Episode 28 of the ongoing eruption in Halemaumau Crater saw eight hours of high fountaining.

KILAUEA (HawaiiNewsNow) - Episode 28 of the of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at around 4:10 a.m. HST on Wednesday, July 9. Lava fountains are actively spewing upward of 150 feet into the air. Past episodes have produced lava fountains reaching 1,000 feet in the air.

Essentially, gas pistoning is a shallow, degassing-driven rise and fall of a lava surface. Often these pistons occur in narrow conduits — although they can happen in larger lava lakes and even in lava channels — and in bunches, as part of a series.

According to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the north vent stopped around 1:20 p.m. The south vent did not open during this episode and was completely covered by new deposits. A cone has grown around the north vent, which has connected to the top of the surrounding cliff in some areas. Volcanic gas emissions have decreased since the pause.

With a backdrop of lava fountains rising higher than 1,000 feet, Mark Steward dropped to one knee and proposed to his girlfriend of six years, Olivia Post.

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