June 24, 2026 — WWII era features on the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu, Kīlauea summit

On the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, bulldozers were used to create mounds, visible in the center portion of the image, in an effort to prevent planes from landing in this area of Kīlauea during World War II. The episodic lava fountaining eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu has partially blanketed this area in tephra, but these features remain visible. Photograph taken during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight of Kīlauea's summit on June 24, 2026. USGS image by K. Mulliken.