HONOLULU (KHON2) — Kilauea has been erupting since Sunday afternoon. The lava has been contained in the caldera so there is no danger to residents, as far as the lava is concerned.

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Deputy Scientist-In-Charge of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Dr. David Phillips joined Wake Up 2Day to talk about the volcano.

Dr. Phillips explained what they mean by down-dropped block where some of the activity is taking place. This is an area that collapsed during the 2018 summit collapse.

The USGS try to predict volcano eruptions by monitoring hundreds of sensors all over the Big Island and on Maui. Their abilities have improved greatly over the last 20 years.

Dr. Phillips said that as of now there is no danger to the public outside of the vog. The winds mostly control where the vog will be. Since we currently have trade winds in place, most of the vog will carry toward the west side of the Big Island. The topography also plays a part as it can redirect the vog and/or trap it in certain areas.

When asked whether he had a favorite movie about volcanoes, Dr. Phillips said he had seen “When Time Ran Out” starring Paul Newman. As for how the movie portrayed real life, well they may have stretched reality a bit or a lot for dramatic effect.

To get Kilauea’s latest updates, go to the USGS’s website.