HAWAII COUNTY, Hawaii – Kilauea volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is erupting, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began at 2 a.m. local time on Monday, elevating Kilauea’s volcano alert system to the highest warning levels within a closed area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.”It’s a pretty exciting time,” USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Ken Hon said.Hon said the lava continues to come out at a “very rapid rate,” which is common during the early eruption period. The lava flow has already covered several square kilometers of the old lava lake created from a December 2020 eruption. Webcam imagery shows a line of fissures erupting lava fountains and feeding lava flows at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu within Kaluapele (the summit caldera), officials said.Hon said the lava fountains peaked at about 200 feet tall on Monday morning. The National Parks Service is preparing for numerous live visitors on Monday morning who want to view the eruption online, with thousands tuning in to see it. WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE A VOLCANO ERUPTS?The USGS said the activity is currently confined to the summit caldera. However, high levels of volcanic gas, primarily water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, are a primary hazard of concern. This gas can have far-reaching effects downwind, creating a visible haze known as volcanic smog, officials said. Residents and visitors are advised to minimize exposure to volcanic ash and other volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation. The last known eruption began on Sept. 15 in the middle East Rift Zone, covering 4 acres with lava. Following a brief pause, activity resumed at Nāpau Crater, continuing over the next few days and ultimately covering 156 acres. This marked a significant shift in volcanic activity at Kīlauea, the National Park Service (NPS) noted.4 CLASSIC TYPES OF VOLCANOESKīlauea is the youngest and most active volcano on the island of Hawaiʻi and one of the busiest in the world. It has been erupting continuously since 1983. In recorded history, Kīlauea has only had short periods of repose, according to the NPS. It has covered almost 90% of its surface in lava flows within the last 1,000 years. Some say that even the name Kīlauea translates to “spewing” or “much spreading.”The classic shield volcano with its gently sloping sides first emerged from the sea roughly 280,000 years ago. Its expansive surface covers an area slightly smaller than the island of Oʻahu.