While there are many different volcanic hotspots throughout the world, lots of which fall within the Pacific Ring of Fire (more on that below), there is no better place in the United States to view volcanic activity than the aptly named Hawaii Volcano National Park.
The park contains two active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa (which has not erupted since 1984). Kilauea is among the most active in the world and the current series of eruptions first started back in December of 2024 and has since has many “episodes”, and this current one, the 35th episode, has just broken records.
Starting on Friday at about 8:05 p.m., lava began spewing from the north vent in Halemaumau crater, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). About 45 minutes later, at 8:50 p.m., lava began to spew from the south vent and grew rapidly with both vents erupting with force. At 10:11 p.m., USGS reported record-high fountains for this eruption at nearly 1,500 feet.
Volcanoes aren’t often directly discussed in the surf world but they’re fundamental to the creation of many of the greatest waves we know with the entire Hawaiian Island Archipelago being volcanic in nature. When they are discussed, it’s usually in regards to the destruction they cause–to homes, business, roads, and surf breaks–they’re actually one of the two main sources for all land creation.
Land mass is primarily a result of tectonic activity, either as continental plates collide then shoot skyward and create mountain ranges, like the Himalayas and the Rockies, or when the edges of those plates grow apart, magma rises to create new crust, sometimes slowly, other times via wild explosions and eruptions as seen in the video above.
Smithsonian
According to the Smithsonian Institute, “The “Pacific Ring of Fire” (PROF) is not a scientific term, but rather a popular description for many areas around the Pacific Ocean with high levels of volcanic activity that originated more than 100 years before the theory of plate tectonics provided a framework to explain the distribution of most volcanoes. While this is an appealing phrase, these areas do not form a single “ring” structure, adjacent volcanoes do not have connected magma reservoirs, and regions have separate tectonic environments. While hot erupted lava is incandescent, volcanic rocks are not on fire or burning, and volcanic ash is actually tiny fragments of rock. As defined below and shown on the map, the PROF consists of 693 Holocene volcanoes (56% of the 1,230 overall) in 41 different volcanic regions.”
It goes without saying that active volcanoes are highly dangerous and anyone attempting to witness eruptions in real life should heed warnings and advisories by officials.