This Week
in Fire

The clearest week-on-week change is at Kīlauea, where the summit eruption has moved from a pause into repeated precursory lava overflows ahead of Episode 55. Etna also returned to aviation concern, reaching RED on 10 September before the latest VONA moved back to ORANGE. In the Philippines, Kanlaon produced another ash-emission event while remaining at Alert Level 2, and Mayon's gas output fell sharply from last week's spike. Sinabung remains at Level III in Indonesia.

🇺🇸 Kīlauea WATCH · ORANGE

Kīlauea's summit eruption restarted in a precursory form this week. HVO reports that short lava overflows from the north vent began at 12:45 p.m. HST on 7 September, prompting the volcano alert level to be raised from ADVISORY to WATCH and the aviation colour code from YELLOW to ORANGE.

By HVO's 10 September daily update, a total of 50 overflows had occurred, with the most recent ending at 1:17 a.m. HST that morning. HVO describes this pattern as typical of the hours to days preceding one of Kīlauea's episodic summit-fountaining events.

The forecast window for the onset of Episode 55 had narrowed to 10–11 September. Summit reinflation remained irregular, with little net tilt change over the previous 24 hours and the summit still about 0.5 microradians below the starting level of Episode 54. As of that update, sustained Episode 55 fountaining had not yet begun.

🇮🇹 Etna Ash Emission · Aviation ORANGE

Etna returned to a higher aviation-alert state this week. INGV's update archive shows a RED VONA at 09:11 UTC on 10 September with ash emission ongoing. This followed an earlier VONA at 05:36 UTC the same day.

The latest published VONA at 07:10 UTC on 11 September lists the Aviation Colour Code as ORANGE. INGV labels the notice “Ash Emission Finish”, while the activity summary on the same notice states that weak ash emission was still ongoing. Rather than infer beyond that wording, the safest reading is that the aviation code had stepped down from RED to ORANGE while weak residual ash emission was still being reported.

INGV's satellite-monitoring page also shows generally low thermal activity by early 11 September, after a moderate thermal anomaly earlier in the week.

🇮🇩 Sinabung Level III · SIAGA

Sinabung remains at Level III (SIAGA) following the alert increase at the end of August. An official Karo Regency update relaying PVMBG's monitoring through 6 September says thick white crater emissions were observed rising around 300–500 m above the summit.

PVMBG also revised the recommended hazard sector: the volcano remains Level III, but the sectoral exclusion distance was reduced from the earlier 6 km recommendation to 5 km based on the monitoring evaluation reported by the local government.

No attempt is made here to infer a new eruptive escalation beyond that official update; the key current point is that Sinabung remains at Level III and exclusion recommendations remain in force.

🇵🇭 Kanlaon Alert Level 2 · Ash Emission

Kanlaon remains at Alert Level 2 — Increased Unrest. PHIVOLCS' 10 September bulletin recorded one ash-emission event lasting 38 minutes. No volcanic earthquakes were recorded in the preceding 24 hours.

Sulfur dioxide flux was measured at 1,698 tonnes per day on 9 September. A moderate plume reached 500 m above the crater and drifted generally east and northeast. Ground-deformation data continue to show inflation of the edifice with short-term deflation.

The 4 km Permanent Danger Zone remains off-limits. Tokyo VAAC also issued volcanic-ash advisories for Kanlaon on 6, 9 and 10 September.

🇵🇭 Mayon Alert Level 2 · Gas Output Down

Mayon remains at Alert Level 2 — Decreased Unrest. The 10 September PHIVOLCS bulletin recorded two volcanic earthquakes during the previous 24 hours.

Sulfur dioxide flux was measured at 1,977 tonnes per day on 9 September. That is markedly below the 8,165 t/day value that prompted PHIVOLCS' special advisory the previous week. Ground deformation still indicates inflation of the edifice with short-term deflation on the northeastern sector.

The 6 km Permanent Danger Zone remains off-limits.

🇯🇵 Sakurajima Level 3 · New VAA

Sakurajima remains under Volcanic Alert Level 3. Tokyo VAAC issued a new volcanic-ash advisory for Sakurajima on 8 September, confirming renewed ash-producing activity significant enough for an aviation advisory.

Because the currently surfaced JMA material does not provide enough detail here to support a precise plume-height claim, this roundup does not add one. The important verified change is the issuance of a fresh VAA on 8 September while Level 3 restrictions remain in force.

🇺🇸 Alaska Great Sitkin + Shishaldin

AVO's 10 September update keeps Great Sitkin at WATCH / ORANGE. Slow lava eruption continues inside the summit crater, with minor earthquakes detected and steaming observed from the summit dome.

Shishaldin remains ADVISORY / YELLOW. AVO reported minor seismicity, a typical summit gas plume in webcam views and sulfur dioxide detected by satellite.

🇵🇭 Taal & Bulusan Low-Level Unrest

Taal remains at Alert Level 1. PHIVOLCS' 10 September bulletin recorded no volcanic earthquakes, weak emissions and continuing short-term inflation of Taal Volcano Island. Its most recent listed sulfur dioxide measurement was 526 t/day from 1 September.

Bulusan also remains at Alert Level 1. One volcanic earthquake was recorded in the 10 September bulletin, with short-term inflation of the edifice. The 4 km Permanent Danger Zone remains off-limits.

🌍 Also on the Global Board

Tokyo VAAC issued its first 2026 advisory for Alaid in the Kuril Islands on 10 September, followed by a second advisory later the same day. Persistent eruptors including Ibu, Dukono, Semeru, Lewotolok, Fuego and Popocatépetl continue to generate routine observatory and aviation reporting. These are included here as watch-list items rather than treated as new eruptions unless the responsible agency reports a material change.