Small collapses of Kīlauea's western fissure continue

The western fissure at Kīlauea's summit continues to send lava into Halemʻaumaʻu crater through an open channel into the lava lake. Around sunset on the evening of January 19, field crews observed a minor collapse event of the spatter rampart on its northern rim and the channel margins at 5:46 p.m. HST. Times are indicated on each photo; the first image shows a "before" view and the second is from just after the collapse. The final two images show the slow destabilization and movement of a portion of the remaining cone flank that was surrounded by incandescence. Photo taken from the south rim of Halemʻaumaʻu and looks northwest. USGS photo by H. Dietterich.