Images

A USGS geologist collects a molten sample of the episode 30 lava flows, quenching the sample in a bucket of water. The chemistry of these lava samples is analyzed to better understand the source and storage of magma driving Hawaiian eruptions. USGS photo by M. Patrick taken on August 6, 2025.

A helicopter overflight on the morning of August 6, during episode 30 of the ongoing Halema‘uma‘u eruption, provided aerial views of the lava fountaining and numerous channelized lava flows covering the crater floor. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

An aerial photograph of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater taken during an overflight on August 6, 2025. This photo, looking to the west, shows episode 30 lava fountains and lava flows covering the crater floor.

Kīlauea has had 30 episodes of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu crater, within the summit caldera, since December 23, 2024. This infographic summarizes the past 30 episodes of activity, providing context for this episodic eruption and summarizing the relevant hazards. USGS graphic. 

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists watched a spectacular sunrise over Kīlauea summit eruption episode 30 on the morning of August 6. Lava flows had covered about 60% of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor by that time. USGS photo by N. Deligne.

A telephoto aerial view of the episode 30 lava fountaining at Kīlauea summit, taken during a morning helicopter overflight. The dominant fountain was in the north vent, while a smaller fountain was active in the south vent. Channelized streams of lava, fed by the fountains in the north and south vents, flow to the eastern portion of the crater floor.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's helicopter overflight on August 5 provided aerial views of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) and the outgassing plume from the eruptive vents in Halema‘uma‘u crater. Mauna Loa can be seen in the background. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This wide-angle view of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera) was captured during the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's helicopter overflight on August 5, showing the eastern caldera floor (near) along with more recent lava flows (far, darker circular zone) covering the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater.

During a monitoring overflight on August 5 at approximately 9:45 a.m. HST, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists documented a lava pond within the north vent of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. The pond was flowing into a subterranean lava tube contained within the east side of the vent cone, toward the floor of Halema‘uma‘u crater. USGS photo K.

This closer view of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea was captured during the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's helicopter overflight on August 5. The circular black zone consists of recent lava flows that have been filling the crater in recent months, and the outgassing plume from the eruptive vents is carried southwest by the trade winds. USGS photo by M.

On August 5, USGS geologists used a laser rangefinder to measure the elevation of the small lava pond spotted today within the Halema‘uma‘u north vent at the summit of Kīlauea. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

This aerial view of the complex tephra cone built in recent months around the Halemaʻumaʻu eruptive vents was captured on August 5. The cone has been built against the western wall of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera), with tephra also forming a hill atop the caldera rim.

This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. As of this posting on August 1, 2025, the eruption has had twenty-nine episodes, with the most recent occurring on July 20.

This animated GIF was created using an image collected approximately every other day by the S2cam located on the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. It shows how the vent geometry and near-vent eruption area within Halemaʻumaʻu crater has changed over the past 30 episodes of lava fountaining.

On July 25, 2025, USGS scientists measured the depth to the water table at the Keller Well, located south of Halema‘uma‘u crater. The Keller Well is a borehole drilled in 1973 to a depth of 4,140 ft (1,262 m); since then, it has been used to monitor the hydrology of the summit region of Kīlauea volcano. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

This oblique aerial view of the north vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater was captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) flight on July 25, 2025. The aircraft was flying about 150 m (500 ft) above the vent—about the height of the crater rim—with the image captured looking down to the northeast.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff undertook a helicopter monitoring overflight of the summit of Kīlauea on July 24, 2025. This photo looking southwest shows the Steam Vents parking area in the bottom right with the trail to Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) going towards the middle of the photo.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist takes a series of photos at a constant angle and zoom during a summit overflight of Kīlauea volcano. These images are then processed using structure-from-motion photogrammetry methods to construct a new digital elevation model of the summit.

This low-angle view of the crater complex that has built up since December 23, 2024, in western Halema‘uma‘u, was captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring helicopter overflight of Kīlauea volcano on July 24, 2025. The north vent is degassing on the right side of photo.

This oblique aerial view of the tephra cone from the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption was captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) flight on July 25, 2025. The aircraft was flying about 120 m (400 ft) above ground level, with the image captured looking to the northeast.

Following episode 28 of lava fountaining during the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, USGS scientists conducted a kinematic GPS survey to measure changes in the newly formed tephra hill along the caldera rim. This work was carried out with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.