April 23, 2026 — Kīlauea north vent post lava fountaining episode 45

During a monitoring helicopter overflight of Kīlauea summit on April 23, 2026, shortly after the end of episode 45 of lava fountaining, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists got views into the north vent that show a complex structure with multiple openings. This structure may have influenced the inclined nature of the early stage of the episode 45 lava fountain from the north vent. USGS photo by E. Johnson.