Watch Live: Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts on the Big Island

By Li Cohen

Updated on: June 7, 2023 / 1:10 PM / CBS News

Kilauea volcano, the home of Pele, Hawaii's volcano goddess, is erupting. The U.S. Geological Survey announced that the volcano started its eruption on Wednesday, just hours after an eruption watch was issued.

#Kilauea is currently erupting from the #Halemaumau summit crater. HVO will be releasing an update soon. USGS livestream is showing the action. https://t.co/jAcOUDIHjq #Hawaii #lava #eruption pic.twitter.com/ouummDrAs8

The USGS said the eruption was noticed just before 4:45 a.m. local time on Wednesday when the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory "detected glow in Kīlauea summit webcam images." Those images showed that the eruption started within the volcano's Halema'uma'u crater.

"Webcam imagery shows fissures at the base of Halema'uma'u crater generating lava flows on the surface of the crater floor," the agency said. "The activity is confined to Halema'uma'u and the hazards will be reassessed as the eruption progresses."

Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency says there is currently "No indication that populated areas are threatened."

Live video footage of the eruption shows lava flowing through the crater and with large bursts bubbling up. A live stream of the volcano from the USGS caught the dramatic beginning of the eruption, which started before dawn. The video shows bright lava break through the surface of the crater, fountaining into the air accompanied by clouds of ash.

Kīlauea volcano Halemaʻumaʻu crater is currently erupting. Watch the live stream now! https://t.co/o5Pt5XZBKX pic.twitter.com/zjmB01MLMw

Kilauea has several erupted several times in recent years. The last eruption began the afternoon of Jan. 5 and didn't pause until March 7. Prior to that, the volcano had intermittent eruptions from September 2021 through March 2022, according to the USGS. The worst eruption stemming from this volcano was the Pu'u'ō'ō' Eruption, which lasted 35 years – from 1983 to 2018. It ended when the crater floor and lava lake of Pu'u'ō'ō', a cone on the eastern zone of the volcano, "catastrophically collapsed."

For now, the most recent eruption is "within a closed area" of Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park, the USGS said, but the state's emergency services said that it could cause "very light ashfall" in nearby areas of Puna, Kau and South Kona through at least 6 p.m. local time.

Residents have been urged to reduce their exposure and stay indoors or wear face masks, as the biggest concern is the high levels of volcanic gas.

The @NWSHonolulu advises that the Kilauea eruption may cause "very light ashfall" in Puna, Kau and South Kona districts of Hawai'i island through at least 6 p.m. HST Wednesday. Volcanic gas, ash and glass can cause or worsen breathing problems and irritate eyes. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/wWgZRaLk7U

"This hazard can have far-reaching effects down-wind," the service said, as large amounts of water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide are "continuously released" during an eruption. Sulfur dioxide specifically will contribute to volcanic smog, known as vog, which creates a visible haze. This has already been observed downwind of the volcano.

Thin glass fibers that are formed by gas during an eruption, known as Pele's hair, also pose a risk. These threads form when gas bubbles burst near the surface of lava and stretch the skin of that lava into long threads that can be as much as a "couple feet long," according to the National Park Service.

"Because these strands are so light, they can become airborne and be carried by the wind," the service says. " ... While fragile and brittle, they are also sharp. As tiny pieces of glass, they can become lodged in human skin and much worse, eyes. Caution around the fibers is necessary to avoid injury from the slivers."

The fibers are named after Pele, Hawaii's goddess of volcanoes, who the NPS describes as being "embodied by the lava and natural forces associated with volcanic eruptions." Native Hawaiians believe that she made her permanent home in Kilauea's Halema'uma'u crater.

Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.

First published on June 7, 2023 / 11:40 AM