Hawaiian Volcano Acting Feisty

Crater floor collapses, followed by new fissure, eruptions

(NEWSER) - A new vent opened in a Hawaii volcano Saturday, spewing lava some 80 feet in the air, scientists say. The fissure near Kilauea volcano’s Puu Oo crater in the Big Island’s Hawaii Volcanoes National Park expanded to a whopping 1.4 miles in length yesterday with lava eruptions all along it, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports. The vent opened after the crater’s floor collapsed at least 377 feet, kicking up a cloud of ash and fumes. A spokesperson says this eruption is similar to one in 1997—but that one didn't pass the 24-hour mark. More»

Big Island hit by aftershocks

(NEWSER) - A 5.0 earthquake and several aftershocks hit Hawaii late this afternoon, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or injury. The tremblor struck Kae'na Point in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. Nearby resident Joe Lopez, 70, felt a "pretty good jolt," he told the Honolulu Star Advertiser. The quake shook his home and sent books plunging to the floor. No tsunami warning was issued. More»

(NEWSER) - In the recession, international air travel is down and national park attendance is way up. Forbes runs down the crème de la crème of America’s national treasures, but be warned: “It's been incredibly hard to get camping space at most national parks,” one travel agent says.

• Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii: Home to Mt. Kilauea, the most active volcano in the world. The park is "an exhilarating up-close crash course in the forces that shape the earth's profile," one travel author raves.

Officials worry wind will push fumes into settled areas

(NEWSER) - Officials ordered the evacuation of Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park yesterday due to potentially poisonous fumes seeping from two craters. Voluntary evacuations of nearby towns were also announced, but few people have left, reports the Honolulu Advertiser. "We still remain on alert and we're going to monitor 24/7 to make sure people are safe," says the Big Island's mayor. More»

Molten rock causes 3-inch lift, but no eruption imminent

(NEWSER) - A blob of errant magma gathering 6 miles beneath Yellowstone National Park—the same molten rock that makes Old Faithful spurt and heats the park's famous hot springs—has caused the caldera, or volcanic floor, to rise 3 inches since 2004. Scientists say that though the rate of increase is unprecedented, there is no imminent risk of eruption, LiveScience reports. More»