Volcano Hazards Program Office

The Kīlauea summit eruption continues within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This wide view of the new lava lake was taken this morning, October 1, 2021, during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory eruption overflight. Volcanic gas emissions remain elevated with lava fountains from the vent on the western crater wall, and from within the lava lake,

The growing lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu, at the summit of Kīlauea, has risen roughly 27 m (89 ft) since the eruption started on September 29, 2021 at 3:21 p.m. HST. The eruption began with a fissure opening along the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu, through the surface of the solidified 2020–21 lava lake. This fissure produced a line of lava fountains—many of which have been

In the afternoon of October 1, 2021, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists observed the ongoing eruption within Halemaʻumaʻu from the northwest rim of the crater at Kīlauea's summit. The two dominant eruptive vents at this time are the western fissure (lower-right) and a fountaining area in the central-southern part of the lava lake (center), though minor spattering

A view of the new eruption within Halema'uma'u at Kīlauea summit at approximately 9 a.m. HST on the morning of October 1, 2021. This view, from the south rim of Halema'uma'u, shows that lava continues to erupt from multiple vents along the floor and western wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. Over the past 24 hours, the lava lake surface has risen approximately 4 meters (4.4 yds

A telephoto view of the south-central and western fissure fountains that continue to erupt lava into the growing lava lake at Kīlauea summit. The lava lake and eruptive activity are confined within Halemaʻumaʻu crater, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The “lava island” that formed during the opening hours of the 2020–21 eruption is visible on the lava lake surface in

A telephoto view of the western fissure that opened in the wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, during the new Kīlauea summit eruption. Spatter from the lava fountains have built a horseshoe-shaped cone (black lava) surrounding the upper part of the fountain, while lava flows into the lava lake at the base of the vent. A weak lava flow can be seen exiting a smaller vent to the

This telephoto image of the lava lake margin was taken during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Kīlauea summit eruption overflight this morning. The lava lake within Halemaʻumaʻu crater is forming a “perched” levee around parts of the lake perimeter. The levee is formed, in part, by pieces of the lava lake surface crust being pushed on the levee by the lake circulation. The

The eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, continues with lava fountaining and a rising lava lake. The overflight on Friday, October 1, showed fewer fountaining sites in the center of the lake, compared to the previous day. USGS video by M. Patrick.

Two vents on the western wall of Halema‘uma‘u crater, at Kīlauea summit, remain active. The western fissure opened about an hour and a half (around 4:40 p.m.) after the eruption began on Sept. 29, 2021. The pinkish and black area within the lava lake (near the center of the photo) is the partially submerged west vent that formed during the Dec. 2020–May 2021 eruption. This

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists continue to monitor the new eruption at in Kīlauea's Halema‘uma‘u crater on the evening of September 30, 2021. Field crews made measurements of the active fountains and the lava lake level to track how quickly it is rising. This photo was taken from a closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. USGS Photo by K. Lynn.

Telephoto aerial image of eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at Kīlauea Volcano's summit taken during an overflight at approximately 7:30 a.m. HST on September 30, 2021. The active vent in the west wall of Halemaʻumaʻu is vigorously fountaining, and is one of many fountaining sources active in the lava lake right now. The currently inactive west vent, which erupted during the