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.

The National Park Service says the boy was just about a foot away from a fatal fall when his mother snatched him up

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).

Those who ignore the warnings, walk past closure signs, lose track of loved ones, and sneak into closed areas to get a closer look do so at great risk,” officials said.

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.

A boy, roughly 2 to 3 years old, ran into a closed area Wednesday at the Kilauea Overlook, coming within a foot from the edge of Kaluapele, the summit caldera, before his mother managed to pull him to safety.

Molten rock began shooting from the volcano before dawn on Monday when fissures opened in the caldera floor and propelled lava 295 feet (90 meters) into the air. The red liquid formed tall fountains and then spread across 650 acres (263 hectares). The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory estimated the lava was about 1 yard (1 meter) thick.

Hawaii’s Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanos, fired out partially molten “lava bombs” from its vents and lava fountains up to 262 feet.

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