Volcano shoots lava into ocean in stunning night-time footage

A volcano is Hawaii has been filmed spurting out molten lava like a waterfall into the Pacific Ocean.

The breathtaking footage shows the “firehose” of lava glowing red amid the backdrop of a dark night sky.

Clouds of smoke billow about as the lava spout crashes into the waves below on the southeast side of the Big Island.

The spectacular video was shot by a professional visual artist, Matt Paul, in mid-February and uploaded to Facebook over the weekend.

Kamokuna has been erupting since 1983 but until recently the lava flow was largely hidden inside lava tubes until it reached the ocean, according to the US Geological Survey.

However, the collapse of a large area of lava rock on New Year’s Eve in 2016 created a new vent and exposed the awe-inspiring sight to the public.

In Mr Paul’s footage a group of excited tourists can been seen laughing just metres from the flowing lava.

Earth Scientists working in Kamokuna have issued a warning through the US Geological Survey for tourists to not to venture too close to the lava.

Watching the volcano in action could be both “beguiling and dangerous” the warning reads.

“When hot lava enters the water, it bursts into pieces, building new land at the ocean edge from the fragmental material. This pile of rubble is then covered with a veneer of lava flows, forming a "bench" that gives a false impression of solid ground,” the warning reads.