Volcano Hazards Program Office

The lava lake in Halema‘uma‘u crater remains active. This view looking to the northwest on Wednesday, March 4, 2021, focuses on the active portion of the lake; the eastern stagnant portion is out of view to the right. Lava enters the lake at the base of the western vent spatter cone (left). This photo was taken in an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains

HVO scientists conducted an overflight of Kīlauea's summit the morning of March 4 to document the ongoing eruption. No significant changes were observed—the vent in the northwest wall of Halema‘uma‘u continues to erupt and lava continues to slowly fill the crater. Laser rangefinder measurements from the morning of March 4 indicate that lava has filled about 220 meters (772

An aerial view of Pu‘u Pua‘i, Kīlauea Iki, and Kīlauea caldera. Though the eruption within Halema‘uma‘u isn't visible from this vantage point, the bluish-tinged plume of volcanic gasses is visible near the center of the photo. The most recent gas measurements, made on March 3, indicate that Kīlauea's summit is emitting approximately 1,000 tonnes per day of sulfur dioxide (

In this view of Kīlauea Volcano's south caldera area, the margin of the 1982 lava flows are visible (right), as is a portion of Crater Rim Drive. During World War II, bulldozers were used to create mounds in an effort to prevent planes from landing in this area of Kīlauea. These mounds are visible in the lower-left side of this aerial photo, just beyond the 1982 lava flow

HVO's overflight today also included KILAUEA's lower East Rift Zone, where geologists continue to document and map the 2018 eruption deposits. Fissure 8, visible in the center of this photo, emits steam as this geologically-young feature continues to cool. Fissure 8 was recently officially named Ahu‘ailā‘au by the Hawaii Board on Geographic Names (

Steam was also visible in other portions of the 2018 eruption flow field, close to Kīlauea's East Rift Zone (bottom portion of image). As lava was flowing south towards the ocean in 2018, lava channels formed; these channels are visible as dark grey meandering lines in the image. Like water, lava flows along the path of least resistance downslope. USGS image by K. Mulliken

During the overflight of Kīlauea's lower East Rift Zone on March 4, HVO scientists documented different lava textures in the fissure 8 flow field that formed during the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption. This photo shows an area of fissure 8 flows near the ocean. Both rubbly ‘a‘ā (brownish black) and smooth pāhoehoe (grey) are visible. USGS image by K. Mulliken on March 4

The fissure 8 lava flows of Kīlauea's 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption meet the ocean at Pohoiki Bay, in the lower left corner of this image. Wave erosion of the 2018 lava flows along the coast contributes to sand accumulation that forms a beach at Pohoiki Bay. USGS image by K. Mulliken on March 4, 2021.

Subtle steaming was visible at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō during HVO's overflight of Kīlauea on March 4, 2021. Steam is normally visible as the vent—which was active for more than 35 years—continues to cool, following the 2018 Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō collapse. The brown-colored tephra deposits (right) are from the high-fountaining phases early in the Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption, whereas the silver-grey lava

Another view of Kīlauea caldera, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Ha‘akulamanu (Sulphur Banks) trail is visible in the foreground. The gas plume rising from Halema‘uma‘u in the background marks where the current eruption is taking place. Uēkahuna—the summit of Kīlauea—is visible in the upper right portion of the image. USGS image by K. Mulliken on March 4, 2021.

View of the Kīlauea summit lava lake taken from the west rim of Halema‘uma‘u at 12:21 p.m. HST on March 3, 2021. The western portion of the lava lake is active with lava being fed from the west vent. The eastern surface of the lava lake remains crusted over. SO₂ emission rates are elevated at approximately 1000 t/d, as measured on March 3, 2021. USGS photo taken