Fissure Vents Feed New Lava Lake at Halema'uma'u, Kīlauea (Dec 2020)

Lava returns to Halema'uma'u, at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. During a helicopter overflight on December 21, 2020, at approximately 11:30 AM HST, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists observed the northern fissure and lava cascade (right) supplying the majority of the lava into the lake, while the western (left) fissure was feeding several small channels that were entering the lake. The lava lake has been rising approximately several meters (yards) an hour since the eruption began at approximately 9:30 PM HST on December 20, 2020.