Lava nears the summit of Kilauea

The summit of Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is glowing brightly as molten lava swirls 300 feet below its crater’s floor, bubbling near the surface after years of spewing from the volcano’s side.

The expanding vent of Halemaumau crater helps confirm scientists’ belief that the lava is close to the surface of the summit, said Janet Babb, a geologist and spokeswoman for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Kilauea has been erupting for more than 25 years, with its lava creating a plume of steam as it spills into the Pacific Ocean. But this recent activity is coming from the top of the volcano, not its sea-level side.

This is the strongest glow coming from the crater since October, but scientists don’t know whether lava will ever erupt in a fountain from within the crater, Babb said.

Volcanic smog -- known as vog -- regularly emits from the crater, spreading a haze of toxic sulfur dioxide over the island. Measurements taken earlier last week showed that sulfur dioxide emissions remained similar to recent elevated levels, Babb said.