Images

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientists visited the V1cam livestream camera site on the morning of August 29 for some maintenance work.

On the morning of August 29, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists visited the V1cam livestream camera (left) on the northwest rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) for some site maintenance. The camera provides critical views of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption, particularly of the north vent, used for volcano monitoring. USGS photo by M.

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 29, 2025, the eruption has had thirty-one episodes, with the most recent one occurring on August 22 and 23.

The ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater remains paused following the end of episode 31 on August 23. Intermittent glow is visible from the north vent (lower right) in nighttime views. Small lava channels are visible near the center of this telephoto image cutting through the tephra blanket on the western crater floor.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientists hike to the northwest rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera) for maintenance at the V1cam livestream camera. The crew wears special personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect their eyes and lungs from exposure to tiny volcanic glass particles.

View of Kaluapele (Kīlauea's summit caldera) from the B1 webcam on August 29, 2025, acquired between lava fountaining episodes 31 and 32.

A helicopter can be seen in the upper left portion of the photo, with USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists onboard conducting a photogrammetric survey of Halema‘uma‘u crater floor following the episode 31 lava fountaining on August 22-23, 2025. The passive outgassing plume originates from the vent complex that has been active in the current eruption.

Clear weather provided good conditions for a helicopter overflight of Kīlauea summit the morning of August 25, 2025. The overflight allowed USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists to conduct a photogrammetric survey of the crater floor following the episode 31 lava fountaining late last week, as well as to collect lava samples.

Aerial imagery time-series showing erosion along the northern edge of the 1960 lava delta spanning six decades after the eruption. The 1965 aerial photo on the left is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the 1990s satellite image in the center is from Spot Image, and the 2019 satellite image is from Maxar.

This thermal map of Kīlauea's summit caldera was made from airborne thermal images collected on August 25, just a few days after episode 31 lava fountaining covered Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor in new lava flows. These flows remain warm in the thermal imagery, particularly in the eastern crater where flows slightly expanded the margin of new flows on the crater floor.

A helicopter carries USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists over Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff) as it flies over Kīlauea's summit caldera to conduct a photo survey following the episode 31 lava fountaining. Mauna Loa can be seen in the distance. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

During a Kīlauea monitoring overflight on August 25, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews documented the proximal channel that fed lava flows from the north vent to the floor of Halema‘uma‘u during episode 31.

During a Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight on August 25, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews documented the geometry of the north vent that fountained predominantly during episode 31. The conduit is at a high angle into the southwest wall of the north vent. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

On August 25, 2025, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews sampled lava and tephra from episode 31 during a morning monitoring overflight of Kīlauea summit. Samples from the episode will be later analyzed in the lab to track changes in the chemistry of erupted material and help scientists understand the processes driving the 2024-2025 episodic eruption.

Inclined lava fountains from Kīlauea summit eruption episode 31 on August 22 have blanketed the Halemaʻumaʻu crater floor with tephra, in addition to feeding lava flows extending to the east. USGS photo by M. Zoeller. 

On August 22, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists hiked to the western rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater to watch episode 31 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. Hiking across tephra fields from earlier lava fountaining episodes, renewed eruptive activity was evidenced by a stronger volcanic gas plume as well as heat shimmer above the crater. USGS photo by M.

Lava fountains at the summit of Kīlauea during episode 31. Afternoon views of the eruption from the northwest caldera rim provided views of the inclined lava fountain from the north vent, as well as the eruption plume. During eruption episodes, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rates increase.

With permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff monitor and document episode 31 of the ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano, which began on August 22.

As the sun sets on August 22, a lava fountain continues to erupt within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This is the 31rst episode of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu since this eruption began on December 23, 2024. USGS photo by M. Patrick. 

During Kīlauea summit eruption episode 31 on August 22, inclined lava fountains extended 300 meters (1000 feet) laterally from the north vent, going eastward towards the center of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

Unlike many recent Kīlauea summit eruption episodes, number 31 on August 22 has had a primary lava channel exclusively fed by molten spatter, rather than lava upwelling from the north vent. Other more solid tephra has fallen in a broad plain around the vent.