Burned and dead ʻōhiʻa trees fallen over fresh hardened lava near Nāpau (NPS photo)

(BIVN) – Parts of Kīlauea volcano’s East Rift Zone within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park have been reopened, following the brief eruption by Nāpau Crater. 

The National Park Service issued a news release on Monday, and provided some photos showing of the impacts of the most recent volcanic activity on the Nāpau Trail and campground.

Kīlauea volcano is no longer erupting. A reactivaton of the lava flows on the middle East Rift Zone are not anticipated by scientists at this time.

Although the eruption has ended, areas east of Makaopuhi crater remain closed due to volcanic and wildfire-related hazards.

From the National Park Service:

Maunaulu parking lot, Puʻuhuluhulu, and Maunaulu have reopened. Nāpau Trail is open to the junction with Nāulu Trail, which also reopened. However, Nāpau Trail past Makaopuhi crater, Nāpau campground and Nāpau crater all remain closed due to hazards that include scalding steam vents, new ground fractures, burning vegetation and fire-weakened trees, fresh pāhoehoe lava crust that can cause serious cuts, and rough, uneven terrain that can cause falls.

A campsite on the edge of Nāpau crater was covered entirely by lava during the September 2024 eruption of Kīlauea volcano in its east rift zone. (H.Vidal/NPS Photo)

Nāpau crater and most of the campground were inundated by lava during four eruptive episodes between September 15 and 20. A wildfire ignited by the eruption burned about 90 acres of forest and continues to smolder in the remote area. Only one campsite remains at Nāpau.

Lava-ignited fire burn and eruption areas surround Nāpau Trail in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (NPS Photo/G.Funderburk)

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says lava flows from the September eruption covered 2/3 of Nāpau crater floor, and about 630,000 square meters (156 acres) in the crater and areas just west of Nāpau.