World's biggest active volcano: Hawaii's Mauna Loa erupts

Glowing lava sprays up to 200ft high as the world's biggest active volcano erupts: Hawaii's Mauna Loa erupts sending fire, smoke and ash across the Big Island

• Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, erupted late Sunday night on Hawaii's Big Island 
• Volcanic smog has also been spewed out from the volcano with locals urged to avoid heavy exercise 

Glowing lava and smoky ash are spewing 200ft into the air from Hawaii's Mauna Loa after the world's largest active volcano erupted for the first time in 38 years.

Mauna Loa is belching sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases which form volcanic smog, or vog, when they mix with vapor, oxygen and dust in sunlight.

The eruption began in the summit caldera of Mauna Loa at around 11.30pm Sunday, but started overflowing early Monday morning 

The eruption of Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano is seen from Waikoloa Village yesterday as a stunning purple sunset was illuminated by the lava

Glowing lava and smoky ash are still spewing 200ft into the air from Hawaii's Mauna Loa after the world's largest active volcano erupted for the first time in 38 years

Lava flows from the Mokuaweoweo Crater down Mauna Loa's northeast rift on the Island of Hawaii yesterday

Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, has erupted for the first time in nearly 40 years

Officials have warned the 200,000 Big Island residents to prepare for a worst-case scenario even though the lava flow is not yet endangering towns

Lava is shooting 200ft into the air out of three separate fissures roughly estimated to be 1 to 2 miles long.

The Mauna Loa volcano eruption on the Big Island of Hawaii turned the night sky above the capital of Hilo reddish orange Monday night

Officials urged the public to stay away from the crater and vents along the volcano's northeast flank, given the dangers posed by lava

The USGS warned residents who could be threatened by the lava flows to review their eruption preparations

Lava pours out of the summit crater of Mauna Loa about 6.35 am Monday, as seen from Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area on Maunakea

 Lava has started to flow from Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, after it erupted for the first time in 38 years Sunday night

United States Geological Survey officials say the lava is remaining confined to the summit area, but winds could bring ash downstream

Lava could be seen flowing at Mauna Loa's summit region following the eruption late Sunday night. Officials say the lava is still contained to the summit region

The lava could be seen in this aerial view of the South Kona region amid daybreak Monday morning

Smoke filled the air in Kona, Hawaii on Monday as daylight broke through and the Mauna Loa volcano continued to erupt

The skies were red over Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on Monday after the Mauna Loa volcano erupted for the first time in 38 years

An ash flow advisory has been issued for the region but the US Geological Survey does not believe there is any risk of magma fall

Hawaii's Mauna Loa - the world's largest active volcano - has erupted, the U.S. Geological Service's (USGS) volcanic activity service has said. Pictured: An image released by the USGS shows the lava flow from Sunday night's eruption

The sky on Hawaii's largest island in the early hours of Monday morning after Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, erupted for the first time in 38 years

Residents awoke to earthquakes in the early hours of Monday morning after the eruption. There is currently no risk of magma fall, according to the US Geological Survey 

A webcam view of the eruption on Mauna Loa on Monday morning. This shows the caldera of the volcano as it erupted 

A view of Mauna Loa from the Kona Coast. The volcano has not erupted for 38 years 

An aerial view of the northeast rift of the Mauna Loa volcano, as pictured in March 1994

Pictured: Molten rock flows from Mauna Loa, located on the south-central part of the island of Hawaii, on March 26, 1984, the last time the volcano erupted