The current pause in activity reduces immediate hazards, but the potential for another lava fountaining episode in the coming weeks remains. Sulfur dioxide emissions from the summit range between 1,000 and 5,000 tonnes per day, with trade winds pushing the degassing plume southwest over the Kaʻū Desert. Visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park should remain cautious of air quality and potential eruptive hazards. Seismic activity and ground deformation in the East and Southwest Rift Zones remain low, minimizing risks in those areas. (Source: USGS, August 26, 2026)