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.

A toddler wandered nearly a foot toward death at a volcano park in Hawaii when his mother caught hold of him in time to save his life, according to the National Park Service.

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 began erupting around 2:30 a.m. Monday morning local time at the base of the Halemaumau Crater within the summit caldera after elevated seismic activity was detected overnight.

Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupted early Monday on Hawaii’s Big Island, sending out glittering torrents of lava.

What had been low-level lava flows since Thursday morning became more vigorous fountaining Friday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaii Volcano Observatory.

As thousands more visitors descend upon Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to view Kilauea erupting, the park warns people to take safety precautions.

National Park officials urged caution after a toddler nearly fell off a 400-foot cliff while the family visited erupting volcano Kīlauea. After a three-month pause the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii started erupting on Dec.