Kīlauea, Active volcano in Hawaii County, United States
Kīlauea is an active shield volcano in Hawaii County rising 1247 meters above sea level, part of a chain of five volcanoes forming the island's landmass. The mountain features several craters including Halema'uma'u, which sometimes vents steam and gas, along with lava tubes and black rock fields stretching across wide areas that show the ongoing volcanic activity.
The first recorded European observations date to 1823, when Reverend William Ellis reached the summit and wrote down his impressions. Since then, many eruptions have occurred, including a series between 1983 and 2018 that changed parts of the coastline and added new landmass.
Locals bring offerings of flowers, fruit and handmade items to the craters, honoring Pele, the goddess of fire. You can often see these gifts along the rim of Halema'uma'u Crater, where visitors and residents share a sense of the place's spiritual weight.
The volcano observatory monitors seismic activity, ground shifts and gas emissions around the clock to predict eruption patterns and keep visitors safe. Conditions can change quickly, so it helps to check current warnings before approaching the craters or hiking nearby trails.
Lava flows have pushed over 500 acres of new land into the ocean over recent decades, slowly changing the shape of the island. When the lava reaches the water, it creates steam and the glowing rock hardens into black cliffs that you can sometimes watch from viewpoints along the coast.
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