Safe viewing tips for Kilauea volcano eruption

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaii Volcanoes National Park released safety tips for visiting the latest Kilauea eruption that is expected to draw thousands.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported a new eruption on June 7 which included multiple fissures creating a lava lake and lava fountains hundreds of feet high.

Visitors can look at the eruption from almost every vantage point along the crater rim trail according to the National Park Service.

Viewing points include:

• Wahinekapu
• Kīlauea Overlook
• Keanakākoʻi
• Kūpinaʻi Pali
• Uēkahuna

Jessica Ferracane, HVNP public affairs specialist, advised following a few precautions throughout the park.

• Stay on marked trails and overlooks. Do not enter closed areas. Avoid cliff edges and earth cracks as volcanic eruptions can be hazardous and can change at any time.
• Hazardous volcanic gases present a danger to everyone, especially people with heart or respiratory problems, infants, young children and pregnant women.
• Slow down and drive safely. Expect long waits for parking spaces at popular vantage points like Kīlauea Overlook and Devastation parking lot.
• Avoid the crowds and visit after 9 p.m. and before 5 a.m. The park continues to be open 24 hours a day.
• At 4,000 feet (1,219 meters), the summit of Kīlauea can be chilly at any time. Bring a rain jacket, wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.
• Check the park website for eruption viewing information, hazard and closure updates.

Currently there is a flight restriction above Kilauea caldera of 5,000 feet.

National Park Service also closed Mauna Loa Trail above Red Hill Cabin due to hazards from the recent eruption.