#alert level remains at watch

There are eyes watching and waiting for those awe-inspiring moments with more nefarious reasons in mind. “Thieves are looking for the right moment to steal your stuff,” said Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in a recent Facebook post.

“Inflation of the summit following the shutdown indicates that a resumption in activity is possible in the coming days, but not certain,” said Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in its daily Kīlauea update just after 9:30 a.m. today.

Fountaining of lava began to increase in vigor by about 11 a.m. today, signaling the onset of the second episode of the eruption, which started early Monday within and remains confined to the volcano’s summit caldera and downdropped block.

Eruption that started Sunday night now paused after covering more than 156 acres of Nāpau Crater and areas to the west.