October 22, 2026—Helicopter overflight of Halema‘uma‘u

A close-up aerial view of the north vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater taken during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on October 22, 2026. During the flight, a small area of incandescence was visible deep within the vent but can’t be seen in this image. In the ongoing episodic eruption at Kīlauea summit, lava fountains from the north vent during episode 55 reached maximum heights of about 720 feet (220 meters). USGS photo taken by L. DeSmither.