July 15, 2026 — Episode 51 lava fountain at the summit of Kīlauea

Halemaʻumaʻu north vent lava fountains were reaching about 150 meters (500 feet) in height when a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist snapped this photo from Uēkahuna overlook around 11:45 a.m. HST on July 15 during episode 51. Tephra was lofting even higher in the eruptive plume, then falling on areas from Nāmakanipaio campground to the Footprints trailhead in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by M. Zoeller. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.