View from the ground of one of the vents erupting in Kilauea caldera on September 14, 2023. The lava fountain heights at the vents reached up to about 10-15 meters (32-50 feet) and the horseshoe-shaped spatter ramparts that have accumulated on the south/downwind side of the vents are 20 meters (66 feet) high.

In 2023, Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano made headlines with several distinct eruptive phases. The first eruption began on January 5, 2023, within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit, following a brief pause in activity. This eruption featured dramatic lava fountains reaching heights of 16 feet and lasted until March. A second, even more spectacular eruption occurred on June 7, 2023, creating a massive lava lake that covered nearly 300 acres of the crater floor. Unlike the destructive 2018 event, these 2023 eruptions were contained entirely within the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, providing a "safe" and awe-inspiring spectacle for thousands of tourists without threatening residential areas. Mauna Loa, which erupted alongside Kīlauea in late 2022, remained quiet throughout 2023, leaving Kīlauea as the primary source of volcanic activity for the year.