(BIVN) – The eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano remains paused, with inflationary tilt indicating the next episode of high lava fountaining could be less than a week away.

Scientists with the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory recently conducted fieldwork in the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, sharing photos of their survey.

The hazardous section of Crater Rim Drive has been closed to the public since 2007 due to the dangers upwind of the eruptive vents within Halemaʻumaʻu.

The west portion of Crater Rim Drive in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was damaged during the Kīlauea summit collapse of 2018. This area has remained closed to the public, being impacted by tephrafall and volcanic gas during recent eruptions. U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists measure one of many cracks in the road, which sometimes show movement associated with earthquakes or new fissure vent openings. These changes underscore the many hazards that can occur within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. (USGS photo by N. Kohagura)

A summit tiltmeter has recorded about 16.5 microradians of inflationary tilt since episode 36 ended on November 9.

Models suggest that episode 37 could occur between November 21 to November 25, scientists say. “This forecast may change if variable inflation rates continue,” the USGS HVO wrote on Tuesday. “Previous episodes have been preceded by hours to days of precursory overflows of degassed magma from the vent.”

Lava fountains from 36 episodes of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, have built a prominent new puʻu (made up of tephra) perched on the rim of the crater. In the foreground, tephra covers part of Crater Rim Drive in this closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. (USGS photo by N. Kohagura)