A toddler could have plummeted to his death on Christmas Day at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano if not for his mother's quick reaction, officials said.

Molten rock began shooting from the volcano before dawn on Monday when fissures opened in the caldera floor and propelled lava 295 feet (90 meters) into the air. The red liquid formed tall fountains and then spread across 650 acres (263 hectares). The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory estimated the lava was about 1 yard (1 meter) thick.

Lava spewed from the Kilauea Volcano's summit caldera in Hawaii on December 23. Footage shows the molten rocks forming a fountain in the southwest part of Kaluapele caldera. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began earlier that day and covered 650 acres of caldera floor.

Hawaii’s Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanos, fired out partially molten “lava bombs” from its vents and lava fountains up to 262 feet.

Lava from Kilauea volcano resumed flowing into Halemaumau crater today after a dramatic early Monday morning eruption followed by a pause in the flow later that afternoon, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory officials.

Kilauea volcano in Hawaii is erupting with fountains of lava. Check out a USGS livestream from within the Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

One of the world’s most active volcanoes erupted on Monday after a three-month hiatus, spewing bright orange lava as high as 300 feet, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, began erupting around 2:30 a.m. local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Kilauea Volcano continues to erupt in Hawaii although its alert level has been lowered. Footage shows the magma flowing on the Halemaumau crater on December 24 which began at 2:20 am. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said its aviation colour code was downgraded from red to orange as the crater has stabilised with no immediate threats to infrastructure.

Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii Live view as lava bubbles through the crust of one of the world’s most active volcanoes — Kilauea — on Hawaii’s Big Island. The eruption is confined to the volcano’s summit caldera,

The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii continues to spew one-metre-thick lava into the air. The eruption of one of the world’s most active volcanoes has stayed within the mountain’s summit. Molten rock began shooting from the volcano at the start of the week and has now spread across 263 hectares.