(BIVN) – Episode 44 in the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption ended abruptly at 7:41 p.m. HST Thursday evening, after 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining. 

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory dropped the Volcano Alert Level from WATCH to ADVISORY and the Aviation Color Code from RED to YELLOW, as was previously planned. 

Highway 11 was reopened before the episode ended. 

The Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park entrance, Crater Rim Drive East and Chain of Craters Road are also open. 

USGS: “During lava fountaining episode 44 at the summit of Kīlauea, winds transported gas and tephra in a narrow band to the north-northeast of Halemaʻumaʻu. Tephra fallout was strongest in the direction of Kilauea Military Camp and the Volcano Golf Course subdivision, with pieces of lightweight reticulite up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) reported falling in these areas. Tephra fall was also reported as far east as Volcano House within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. This photo shows Crater Rim Drive near Steaming Bluff in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, with the increasing density of tephra on the road evident in the direction of the Kilauea Military Camp (not visible in the background of the photo).” (USGS photo by M. Patrick)

Some areas within the National Park remain closed. “Crater Rim Drive West, trail and overlooks on the west side of the caldera remain closed due to heavy tephra fallout on the road, Crater Rim Trail, Wahinekapu and Kilauea Military Camp” the National Park Service wrote on Facebook. “Uēkahuna had little tephra fallout this time. Park staff will begin further assessments and cleanup efforts Friday and into next week.” 

“This eruption was much smaller in size than episodes 41–43, but due to steady winds it produced a tephra fallout pattern similar to but not as thick as episode 43,” the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported. “The plume deposited tephra within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park near Kīlauea Military Camp and into the adjacent Volcano Golf Course subdivision.” 

The Observatory says tephra as large as 10 inches (25 centimeters) was reported in the Volcano Golf Course subdivision. Ash and Pele’s hair was reported as far away as Kaumana, just west of Hilo.