Images

On November 21, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists collected solid lava samples from the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea. All sampling in this area, which is significant to native Hawaiian communities, is done with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

On November 21, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted an aerial overflight of the eruptive vent complex at the summit of Kīlauea. Roiling lava ponds were visible in both the north and south vents during the overflight; the north vent's incandescent pond barely visible in this aerial photo looking down from the north.

This photo, taken on November 18 from the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, shows slumping of material from the hill formed by fallout from the recent lava fountains at Kīlauea summit. The v3cam livestream camera is visible on the rim of the crater in the middle left of the image. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This plastic road marker shown on the left side of this photo was found on the side of Crater Rim Drive within the hazardous closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, downwind of the episodically erupting vents within Halema‘uma‘u crater.

The west portion of Crater Rim Drive in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was damaged during the Kīlauea summit collapse of 2018. This area has remained closed to the public, being impacted by tephrafall and volcanic gas during recent eruptions. U.S.

This wooden post used to mark the side of Crater Rim Drive within a hazardous closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The post has been slowly buried by tephra from lava fountains that have been episodically active during the ongoing eruption of Kīlauea at Halema‘uma‘u that started on December 23, 2025.

A U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists checks the status of one of the Kīlauea monitoring stations downwind of the active vents in Halemaʻumaʻu. This station has been buried incrementally by tephra as a result of lava fountaining, and solar panels were damaged by tephra impact. USGS photo by N. Kohagura.

Lava fountains from 36 episodes of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, at the summit of Kīlauea, have built a prominent new puʻu (made up of tephra) perched on the rim of the crater. In the foreground, tephra covers part of Crater Rim Drive in this closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by N. Kohagura. 

Photo compilation of episodes 1–36 of the ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea, including webcam imagery and photos taken by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists on the ground and during helicopter overflights. In all photos except for episode 7, the south vent is on the left and the north vent is on the right.

Episode 36 lava fountaining from Kīlauea's ongoing summit eruption formed tephra, including Pele's hair (strands of fine volcanic glass). Winds blowing from the north resulted in Pele's hair being deposited in Pāhala, a town about 20 miles (32 km) to the southwest of the eruptive vents in Halema‘uma‘u.

During the lava fountains of episode 33 on September 19, tephra particles traveled through the air and fell downwind west of Halema‘uma‘u. This clast was about 16 inches (40 centimeters) long, very lightweight due to being very bubble-rich, and delicate. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

The day after episode 36 of the ongoing Kīlauea eruption, USGS geologists inspected the tephra deposit west of Halema‘uma‘u, in the closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. This photo looks south, with Halema‘uma‘u out of view to the left.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist collects video of episode 36 lava fountaining from the south rim of the caldera at Kīlauea summit, on Sunday, November 9. Video data helps document activity and is used for later research on lava fountaining dynamics.  USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This image, captured on November 9, 2025, by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory S2cam, shows lava fountaining from the north and south vents during episode 36 of ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea. Episode 36 lava fountaining began at 11:15 a.m. on November 9 and was over just 5 hours later, at 4:16 p.m. that same day.

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park visitors watch the lava fountains from Uēkahuna overlook on Sunday, November 9. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

A telephoto view of the vent region within Halema‘uma‘u crater during episode 36 of lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea, on Sunday, November 9. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

View of the dual fountains during episode 36 at the summit of Kīlauea, on Sunday, November 9. View is from the south rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater. Peak heights of lava fountains erupted during this episode reached about 350 meters (1150 feet). USGS photo by M. Patrick.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists approach the south rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater to make observations of episode 36 at the summit of Kīlauea. This section of Crater Rim Drive within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was damaged in the 2018 summit collapse, and remains closed to the public. USGS photo by M. Patrick on November 9.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineer conducts repairs on a gas sensor downwind of the eruptive vents at Kīlauea summit, after digging out tephra that partially buried the instrument during episode 35 lava fountaining. Photo taken October 21, 2025, by M. Patrick.

On October 21, a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field engineer dug out monitoring equipment buried by tephra fallout from the episode 35 lava fountaining. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This image, captured by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory KWcam, shows lava fountains erupting during episode 35 of the Kīlauea summit eruption. Dual lava fountains within Halemaʻumaʻu crater feed lava flows on the crater floor. USGS webcam image taken on October 18, 2025.