Images

This image was taken by the S2cam during the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, and it has been cropped from the original version. The S2cam is a temporary webcamera positioned on the south rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauae summit caldera) and the view is to the west. USGS webcam image.  USGS photo. 

From the Kīlauea Overlook within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists documented episode 32 of the Kīlauea summit eruption that began on December 23, 2025.

Aerial view of the episode 32 lava fountain within Halema‘uma‘u during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring helicopter overflight at approximately 1:00 pm on September 2, 2025. Three vents were erupting from the western side of Halemaʻumaʻu, and feeding lava flows into the western side of the crater.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted an overflight of Kīlauea summit to conduct an aerial photo survey and collect lava samples of the current episode. This photo shows the helicopter passing in front of the outgassing plume on its way into the caldera. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

Lava fountaining from the north vent during episode 32 of Kīlauea's summit eruption fed a wide channel on Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor. USGS photo by N. Kohagura.

From the north rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists document eruptive activity during episode 32 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

View of Kaluapele (Kīlauea's summit caldera) from the B1 webcam on August 29, 2025, acquired between lava fountaining episodes 31 and 32.

A close-up view of tiny volcanic glass fragments on a leather glove. These particles are abundant around the western rim of Kīlauea summit caldera, an area that is closed to the public due to hazardous conditions. Volcanic glass fragments can cause irritation to eyes, lungs, and skin, and exposure should be avoided.

This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. As of this posting on August 29, 2025, the eruption has had thirty-one episodes, with the most recent one occurring on August 22 and 23.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist empties water and volcanic glass particles from a tephra collection bucket on the western rim of Halema‘uma‘u. The buckets are used to collect tephra from the eruption episodes for geochemical analyses.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientists hike to the northwest rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) for maintenance at the V1cam livestream camera. The crew wears special personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect their eyes and lungs from exposure to tiny volcanic glass particles.

The ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater remains paused following the end of episode 31 on August 23. Intermittent glow is visible from the north vent (lower right) in nighttime views. Small lava channels are visible near the center of this telephoto image cutting through the tephra blanket on the western crater floor.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientists visited the V1cam livestream camera site on the morning of August 29 for some maintenance work.

A helicopter carries USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists over Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) as it flies over Kīlauea's summit caldera to conduct a photo survey following the episode 31 lava fountaining. Mauna Loa can be seen in the distance. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

On August 25, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews sampled lava and tephra from episode 31 during a morning monitoring overflight of Kīlauea summit. Samples from the episode will be later analyzed in the lab to track changes in the chemistry of erupted material and help scientists understand the processes driving the 2024-2025 episodic eruption.

During a Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight on August 25, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews documented the geometry of the north vent that fountained predominantly during episode 31. The conduit is at a high angle into the southwest wall of the north vent. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

Clear weather provided good conditions for a helicopter overflight of Kīlauea summit the morning of August 25, 2025. The overflight allowed USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists to conduct a photogrammetric survey of the crater floor following the episode 31 lava fountaining late last week, as well as to collect lava samples.

During Kīlauea summit eruption episode 31 on August 22, inclined lava fountains extended 300 meters (1000 feet) laterally from the north vent, going eastward towards the center of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

Lava fountains at the summit of Kīlauea during episode 31. Afternoon views of the eruption from the northwest caldera rim provided views of the inclined lava fountain from the north vent, as well as the eruption plume. During eruption episodes, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rates increase.

With permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff monitor and document episode 31 of the ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano, which began on August 22.

Episode 31 fountains began at 2:04 p.m. HST, after spattering was visible overnight along with several sluggish lava flows from the north vent.  After episode 31 started, lava fountains steadily grew in size to over 325 feet (100 m). The fountains exited the north vent at a 45-degree angle and would be over 500 feet high if they were straight up.