Glow seen at Kilauea volcano’s fissure 8

Scientists observed incandescence in the fissure 8 volcanic cone at the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea over Labor Day weekend, the first time a glow was observed in the cone since Aug. 25, according to a U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory status report.

The lava glow was observed Saturday afternoon, and lava had slowly covered the crater floor by that evening.

“Webcam views showed weak incandescence occasionally reflected on the eastern spillway wall from the crater overnight suggesting that lava in the crater remained active,” the report said.

A crew conducted an overflight Monday morning over the lower East Rift Zone which confirmed “weakly lava activity” continuing in the cone.

The report said lava continued to fill the deep crater; however, there was no lava “extending outside the walls of the cone and no flows heading down the spillway.”

Scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory could not be reached Monday night to comment on the incandescence.

Meanwhile, seismicity at the Kilauea summit is still low, and ground deformation is “negligible,” according to the report.

The lava activity alert level remains at “watch” as scientists continue to monitor the summit and the lower East Rift Zone.

Since the May 3 eruption, lava has destroyed more than 700 homes in the Leilani Estates and Kapoho areas and covered more than 6,000 acres of land in Lower Puna. It also buried or isolated more than 1,600 acres of farms.

On Friday Hawaii County officials removed two lava related checkpoints on Highway 137 in Puna, and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park announced portions of the park would reopen Sept. 22.