Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Photo compilation of Kīlauea's record breaking 48 lava fountaining episodes

Detailed Description

Photo calendar compilation of the 48 lava fountaining episodes that have occurred at Kīlauea's summit eruption. The eruption started on December 23, 2024, and episode 48 occurred on June 1, 2026. The eruption has now surpassed the number of fountaining episodes in the opening years of the Puʻuʻōʻō eruption from 1983-1986 (47), setting a new record number of fountaining episodes in any one Kīlauea eruption in the written record. CThis compilation includes webcam imagery and photos taken by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists on the ground and during helicopter overflights. In all photos except for episode 7, the south vent is on the left and the north vent is on the right. For the episode 7 photo, the north vent is in the center and the south vent is below it to the right. The episode 5 photo only shows north vent. The episode 30 photo also shows a fissure on the south wall that was active in the first few hours of the episode. Since episode 44, only the north vent has produced lava fountains, although the south vent has produced lava overflows in the lead up to fountaining episodes.

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.

Was this page helpful?