Images

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.

This panoramic image, taken at 5:39 p.m. H.S.T. on July 20, 2025, shows episode 29 of the ongoing eruption in Halema‘uma‘u crater, within Kaluapele (the summit caldera of Kīlauea volcano).

During episode 29 of lava fountaining from the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, a USGS scientist uses a laser rangefinder from the caldera rim to measure the width and distance of lava channels—data that helps estimate the flow’s velocity. USGS staff visit this hazardous area with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

This view of episode 29 lava fountains within Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea was captured through the lens of a laser rangefinder device that USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists were using to measure eruptive features. This photo was taken at 7:10 a.m. H.S.T. on July 20, 2025, nearly 2 hours after the start of episode 29.

During episode 29 of lava fountaining at the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, USGS scientists approached the caldera rim—with permission from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park—to measure volcanic gas emissions. The lava fountain seen here, on the morning of July 20, reached approximately 100 feet (30 meters) high.

Lava fountaining from episode 29 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 5:15 a.m. HST on July 20. The eruption produced large lava flows from the north vent, which traveled approximately 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) across the caldera floor. USGS photo by M. Benage.

Significant cracks have appeared in the cone around the eruptive vents in Halemaʻumaʻu, as this feature has slumped downwards following episode 28. The south vent, which did not erupt during episode 28, was completely covered but the north vent remains visibly degassing. Mauna Kea is on the horizon in the background of the image. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory pilot guides a UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) to the landing pad after an observational flight over the eruptive vents in Halemaʻumaʻu.

The tephra mound on the crater rim southwest of the active vents in Halemaʻumaʻu is nearly 100 feet (30 m) tall after 28 episodes of lava fountaining since December 23, 2024. The profile of the tephra mound nearly mirrors that of Mauna Loa, outlined behind it. USGS photo by K. Mulliken. 

This near-vertical view into the north vent within Halema‘uma‘u crater was captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) flight on July 17, 2025. The aircraft was about 150 m (500 ft) above the vent, with north oriented to the upper left in this view. No incandescence or lava was visible within the vent.