Nature occasionally reminds people just how powerful it can be. That reminder arrived again this week on Hawaii’s Big Island, where the Kilauea volcano began shooting massive fountains of lava high into the sky. The eruption looked almost unreal with the glowing streams of molten rock reportedly reaching nearly 1,000 feet, creating a dramatic sight above the summit crater. For visitors and residents watching from a distance. Yet the spectacle quickly brought practical concerns.
Ash and glassy volcanic fragments started falling in nearby areas, prompting officials to close parts of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and sections of a major highway. Scientists say eruptions like this are not entirely unusual for Kilauea, which has been active on and off for more than a year. Still, lava fountains of this scale tend to capture attention.
