Images

Episode 28 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began just after 4 a.m. HST on July 9, 2025. This photograph was taken from the north rim of the caldera around 6:30 a.m., as Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitors gathered to view the episode. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

This panoramic image, taken around 6:30 a.m. HST on July 9, 2025, shows episode 28 of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, within Kaluapele (the summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano). This view, from the north rim of the caldera, shows that the ongoing eruption has been occurring in the southwest part of the caldera. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

After episode 28 ended, USGS geologists inspected the tephra deposit southwest of the eruptive vents, in the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The tephra continues to accumulate and build up a hill that is more than 80 ft (~25 m) high, covering parts of Crater Rim Drive.

In this view from an eruption monitoring helicopter overflight on Wednesday, July 9, new lava flows can be seen traveling across the Halema‘uma‘u crater floor—these appear as fluid forms with a shiny, silvery crust over incandescent red-hot lava. Older lava flows from previous eruptive episodes have a darker or duller appearance.

At approximately 6:30 a.m. on July 9, the sunrise illuminated the walls of Kaluapele, as the north vent remained in the shadows of the caldera walls. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.

Aerial view taken during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight, showing the lava fountain of episode 28 within the summit caldera (Kaluapele) of Kīlauea. These lava fountains reached a maximum of 1150 ft (350 meters) but were mostly lower than this height throughout the fountaining episode.

Near the Kīlauea Overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, an ‘ōhi‘a lehua frames the lava fountains of episode 28 on July 9. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

During episode 28 of lava fountaining during the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, USGS scientists approached the caldera rim to measure volcanic gas emissions with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This lava fountain on the morning of July 9 was approximately 1000 feet tall (300 meters).

Captured on USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory livestreaming V2cam, the north vent produced a fan-shaped fountain during episode 28 on July 9. The south vent was quiet during this episode, giving the north vent the full spotlight. Maximum fountain height in this episode was 321 meters (1053 feet). USGS photo. 

During episode 28 lava fountaining on Wednesday, July 9, clasts of fluid, molten lava were ejected to heights of approximately 1000 feet (300 meters) from the vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater and deposited onto the growing tephra hill on the western side of Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera).

During Kīlauea summit eruption episode 28 on Wednesday, July 9, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted an aerial overflight of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, which included a brief landing on the crater floor to collect lava samples.

Halemaʻumaʻu crater is the home of Pele, the Native Hawaiian elemental force associated with lava, and numerous eruptions have taken place in the crater. With permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists landed briefly on the crater floor on Wednesday, July 9, to collect lava samples of episode 28.

USGS scientists use an FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectrometer) to measure the chemical composition of volcanic gas during episode 28 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit on July 9, 2025. USGS photo by M. Cappos.

At around 6:30 a.m. HST on July 9, 2025, a fan-shaped lava fountain being erupted during episode 28 was visible from near Kīlauea Overlook within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

This photo was taken by a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring webcam just before 6:00 a.m. HST on July 9, during episode 28 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. Mauna Loa looms in the background, illuminated by the morning sun. USGS photo.

Since December 23, 2024, 30 episodes of lava fountaining have happened in summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. 

Following episode 27 of the Kīlauea summit eruption on June 29, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineers visited several sites southwest of Halemaʻumaʻu on July 1 to remove tephra that had accumulated on the solar panels and station infrastructure. USGS photos by M. Warren. 

The Ha‘akulamanu trail within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park passes through the Sulphur Banks area, where long-term degassing near Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) has altered the basalt to colorful minerals including yellow sulfur, white gypsum, and reddish-brown hematite. USGS photo by C. Sealing.

Episode 27 of the Halema‘uma‘u Kīlauea summit eruption began around 9:05 a.m. HST on June 29, 2025. The north vent was active for majority of the eruption and reached approximately 1115 ft (~340 m) high by 11:00 am HST. The south vent became active with low level fountaining of about 65 ft (20 m) just before 4:00 p.m. HST. The fountains lasted just under 11 hours.

Strands of Pele's Hair collect in low-lying areas near Keanakākoʻi Overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

Visitors near the Keanakākoʻi Overlook in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park view lava fountaining during episode 27 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption on June 29. Approximately 1.6 billion gallons (8.1 million cubic yards, 6.2 million cubic meters) of lava erupted during the sustained fountaining phase of episode 27.