Like the fabled elephant variously described by blind men, Kilauea Volcano presents several intriguing facets as it continues its pyrotechnic exhalations, now in their 28th year.

At the summit, lava gurgles and occasionally flares within the collapse pit on the floor of Halemaumau Crater. The lava retreats and advances anew in what scientists call a deflation-inflation cycle.

The latest inflation started Saturday, producing a glow that was visible overnight from the Jagger overlook.

Volcanic gas emissions remain high, resulting in heavy concentrations of noxious sulfur dioxide downwind. Volcanic fog or vog finds its way up to Oahu when the winds are right, most recently early last week.

Yesterday morning the summit vent gas plume rose about 2,000 feet before flattening and moving to the west, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

At the vents at the east rift zone, lava flowed through the upper tube system and fed at least two surface flows within and just above the former Royal Gardens subdivision.

The westernmost flow was slowly moving down-slope along Alii Avenue in Royal Gardens, and the head reached the 1,400-foot level on Wednesday. Magma is belching gas through Puu Oo crater before erupting about a mile to the east, below what is called the 2007 Thanksgiving Eve Breakout event.

Hawaii County Civil Defense officials on Saturday reported lava continuing to advance and burn Puna forests.

Below Royal Gardens, the ocean entry point has been inactive for nearly a month after putting on a spectacular show for much of last year.

Kilauea also produces occasional earthquakes, the latest registering a modest 3 in magnitude Jan. 25. The epicenter was two miles west of Pahala at a depth of 23 miles.