September 15, 2026—Close-up view of Halema‘uma‘u north vent

Near the end of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory overflight this morning, August 15, the crew passed by the Halema‘uma‘u eruptive vents that have fed lava fountaining episodes at the summit of Kīlauea since December 23, 2024. Seen here is the north vent, which was actively spattering during the flight, having built a small cone over the past few days that now stands about 40 feet (12 meters) tall. The south vent was also incandescent, but the west vent that appeared in early August was dark today. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.