Fresno State science professor not surprised Mauna Loa ended its slumber

The world's largest volcano has been spewing lava for nearly two full days on Hawaii's Big Island.

While it's putting on a show a Fresno State science professor says it's nothing unusual for the world's most active volcano.

Sunday night, the Mauna Loa volcano finally came out of a 38-year slumber.

"Mauna Loa is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Over the last 4,000 years, it's had many many eruptions," said Keith Putirka, an earth and environmental science professor at Fresno State.

Over the past two days, the lava flows have not posed any problem for downslope communities.

No evacuations have been ordered and schools remain open.

Lava flows are six miles away from Saddle Road, a key road that crosses the island. It remains open.,

Since early November the number of earthquakes beneath the summit at Mauna Loa doubled. Professor Putirka says that was a signal to USGS scientists that an eruption might be near.

He says underneath Hawaii there's a constant supply of molten material rising up.

"Mauna Loa is one of the largest volcanoes in the world not just the most active. If you measured it from the bottom of the seat floor up to its tip, it's actually bigger than Mt. Everest. So that entirely built up of volcanic material."

What's bubbling to the surface could continue for months. "They estimate it's probably not going to be a very long eruption. It might last most of 2023 or half of 2023 but right now they're predicting it will be a multi-year event like some Kilauea events."

California won't feel a thing from the eruption. Professor Putirka says we're too far away.

So far no property is at risk on the Big Island of Hawaii according to the U.S. Geological Survey.