Be mindful of continuing gas emissions, including vog, from recent Kīlauea eruption

The most recent eruption of Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island might have already paused, but state health officials are advising the public to continue keeping track of the air quality around them gas emissions persist.

Activity in the area of the eruption southwest of the volcano’s summit remains dynamic and could change quickly. While the lava flow has ceased, air quality levels are slightly elevated at the Pāhala and Nāʻālehu air quality monitoring stations.

As gas emissions from Kīlauea continue and southerly winds occasionally prevail, vog (hazy air pollution caused by volcanic emissions) conditions and the presence of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the air could increase and fluctuate in various areas of the state, especially on the Big Island, causing poor air quality.

According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the eruption was in a remote location within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, low in eruptive volume and did not pose an immediate threat to human life or critical infrastructure.

The Hawai‘i Department of Health encourages residents and visitors to access Hawaiʻi Ambient Air Quality Data on the Clean Air Branch website and the Hawaiʻi Interagency Vog Information Dashboard for the most comprehensive and up-to-date online information about vog and sulfur dioxide emissions.

Be mindful of your surrounding conditions and how you might react to vog. In the event of voggy conditions, take the following precautionary measures:

• Reduce outdoor activities that cause heavy breathing. This can reduce exposure and minimize health risks, especially for sensitive groups, such as children, the elderly and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and chronic lung and heart disease.
• People with asthma or a chronic respiratory disease should always have medications available. Daily prescribed medications should be taken on schedule.
• People experiencing health effects should contact their medical provider as soon as possible if they develop symptoms, as respiratory conditions might worsen rapidly in heavy sulfur dioxide or vog conditions.
• Stay inside and close windows and doors. When using an air conditioner, set it to recirculate. If you are in a car, set the air conditioner to recirculate.
• Face masks (surgical, cloth, KF94, KN95, N95) do not provide protection from sulfur dioxide or vog. However, they can be effective in outdoor environments in reducing inhaled hazardous particulates associated with falling ash and Pele’s hair.
• Do not smoke and avoid second-hand smoke.
• Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
• Have family emergency plans prepared and ready.
• Heed warnings by county and state emergency management officials.

For vog and air quality updates, check these resources:

• Hawaiʻi Interagency Vog Information Dashboard.
• State Department of Health Clean Air Branch.
• U.S. Geological Survey Kīlauea Volcano Updates.