If you’re sitting at your desk wondering where is a volcano erupting right now, the answer isn’t just one spot. It’s dozens. Right this second, the Earth is basically a leaky pressure cooker. As of mid-January 2026, we’ve got major action from the Pacific to the Mediterranean. It's not just "smoke in the distance" kind of stuff; we are talking about 200-meter-high lava fountains in Hawaii and fresh fissures opening up in Italy.
Geology doesn't take a holiday.
Kīlauea’s Episode 40: The Big Island is putting on a show
Honestly, Kīlauea is the overachiever of the volcanic world. On January 12, 2026, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) confirmed that "Episode 40" of the current eruption cycle kicked off with a bang. Or rather, a fountain.
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Sustained lava fountains are currently screaming out of the north vent in Halemaʻumaʻu crater. They’re hitting heights of over 200 meters. That’s roughly the height of a 60-story skyscraper made of liquid fire.
The sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) emission rates are staggering, often hitting between 50,000 and 100,000 tonnes per day during these peak fountaining events. If you're planning to visit, you’ve gotta check the Vog (volcanic smog) forecasts. The gas plume is currently rising 4,000 meters into the sky. While it’s contained within the national park, the air quality can get pretty sketchy depending on the wind.
Mount Etna: Italy's New Year’s Surprise
While Hawaii is doing its thing, Sicily decided to join the party. On New Year’s Day 2026, a brand new flank eruption started on Mount Etna. This isn't just a summit puff; a fissure opened up at about 2,100 meters elevation in the Valle del Bove.
By January 3, the lava flow had stretched over 3 kilometers long.
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What makes this one interesting—and slightly terrifying for the locals—is how low the vent is. Experts like Dr. Boris Behncke from the INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology) have been busy calming everyone down. Even though the lava looks like it’s right on top of villages like Milo and Fornazzo, it’s actually several kilometers away. The terrain in the Valle del Bove is rugged, full of old craters and ravines that act like natural speed bumps for the lava.
The Ring of Fire is literally on fire
If you look toward Indonesia, things are predictably intense. Mount Semeru in East Java just sent out pyroclastic flows—basically "hot clouds" of ash and gas—traveling five kilometers down its slopes on January 11.
Semeru is at a Level III (Alert) status. This is the "stay away" level. Local authorities have banned all activity within 13 kilometers of the summit. They’re particularly worried about "lahars." When heavy rain hits those fresh ash deposits, it creates a slurry with the consistency of wet concrete that moves at 50 mph.
Over in Mexico, Popocatépetl (or "Popo" to the locals) is being its usual grumpy self. It’s been spitting ash plumes up to 6.7 km into the atmosphere. It’s on a Yellow Phase 2 alert. Basically, don't get within 12 kilometers of the crater unless you want a face full of tephra.
Why you won't see an eruption in Iceland today (but maybe tomorrow)
You might have seen the headlines about the Reykjanes Peninsula. Iceland was the big story in late 2025, but right now, it’s in a "waiting room" phase.
The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) is reporting steady magma accumulation under Svartsengi. About 14 million cubic meters of magma has pooled there since the last eruption ended in September. 2026 is looking like it’ll see another "fissure swarm" event soon—possibly by early February. The ground is literally rising. If you're asking where is a volcano erupting right now because you want to fly to Iceland, you might want to hold your booking for a few weeks. The likelihood of a new dike propagation is extremely high, but the "nozzle" hasn't opened yet.
The "Invisible" Eruptions: Dukono and Ibu
We tend to focus on the famous ones, but volcanoes like Dukono and Ibu in the Halmahera Volcanic Arc are essentially in a state of permanent eruption.
- Dukono: Recorded multiple explosions this week. It’s been erupting almost continuously since 1933.
- Ibu: This one is a beast. On January 6, sensors picked up 67 individual explosions in a single day.
It’s easy to think of eruptions as rare, "once-in-a-lifetime" events. They aren't. At any given moment, there are usually between 40 and 50 volcanoes currently erupting across the globe. Some are just better at marketing than others.
How to track this stuff in real-time
If you’re a weather nerd or a geology enthusiast, don't rely on TikTok. Use the pros.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program is the gold standard. They put out a weekly report every Wednesday that cuts through the clickbait. If you want the raw data, MAGMA Indonesia or the USGS Volcano Hazards Program provide the actual seismicity charts.
Actionable Insights for 2026 Travel
If you are traveling to a volcanic region this month:
- Check the VONA: The Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation is what pilots use. If the VONA is red, your flight might get canceled.
- Pack a high-quality mask: Not for the heat, but for the ash. Volcanic ash is actually tiny shards of glass. You don't want that in your lungs.
- Respect the "Closed" signs: In Hawaii and Iceland, tourists often bypass ropes to get a selfie. In 2026, the fines are higher than ever, and the risk of a "phreatic burst" (steam explosion) is very real.
- Monitor the wind: For spots like Kīlauea or Popocatépetl, your experience depends entirely on wind direction. Use apps like Windy.com to see where the $SO_2$ is heading.
Stay safe out there. The Earth is a lot more alive than we usually give it credit for.
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To stay updated on the specific situation in Hawaii, you should monitor the USGS Kīlauea daily updates, as the "Episode 40" fountaining can stop or start with very little warning. For those looking at Europe, keep an eye on the INGV Catania social feeds for the most recent drone footage of the Etna flows.