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Hawaiian Volcano Observatory images of eruptive activity, field work, and more.
Photo compilation of the 38 lava fountaining episodes that occurred the first year of the ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea. The eruption started on December 23, 2024, and the eruption continues: episode 39 is expected soon.
Photo compilation of the 38 lava fountaining episodes that occurred the first year of the ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea. The eruption started on December 23, 2024, and the eruption continues: episode 39 is expected soon.
It's been one year since a unique episodic lava fountaining eruption began at Kīlauea’s summit on December 23, 2024—a style of activity not seen in nearly 40 years! Over the past 12 months, Halemaʻumaʻu crater has hosted 38 eruptive episodes, each lasting from a few hours to more than a week, separated by quiet pauses.
It's been one year since a unique episodic lava fountaining eruption began at Kīlauea’s summit on December 23, 2024—a style of activity not seen in nearly 40 years! Over the past 12 months, Halemaʻumaʻu crater has hosted 38 eruptive episodes, each lasting from a few hours to more than a week, separated by quiet pauses.
USGS staff deployed a new V3cam on the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea volcano, within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The camera, a pan-tilt-zoom model, replaces the V3cam that was located to the west, which was destroyed during episode 38 lava fountaining on December 6, 2025. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
USGS staff deployed a new V3cam on the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea volcano, within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The camera, a pan-tilt-zoom model, replaces the V3cam that was located to the west, which was destroyed during episode 38 lava fountaining on December 6, 2025. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
This aerial view, captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight on December 19, 2025, shows the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea between the summit caldera and the prominent scoria cones of Puʻukoaʻe.
This aerial view, captured during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring overflight on December 19, 2025, shows the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea between the summit caldera and the prominent scoria cones of Puʻukoaʻe.
Aerial photo showing the tephra hill on the western margin of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera), which has grown over the past year of 38 lava fountaining episodes within Halema‘uma‘u. The arcuate scarps are from landslides of tephra that have fallen back into the caldera near the north and south vents that have erupted all the material making up the tephra hill.
Aerial photo showing the tephra hill on the western margin of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera), which has grown over the past year of 38 lava fountaining episodes within Halema‘uma‘u. The arcuate scarps are from landslides of tephra that have fallen back into the caldera near the north and south vents that have erupted all the material making up the tephra hill.
V3cam on the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, Kīlauea volcano. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff deployed the new camera on December 19, 2025, with permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
V3cam on the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater, Kīlauea volcano. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff deployed the new camera on December 19, 2025, with permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS photo by M. Patrick.
Aerial photograph looking at the southwestern rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera), where the original V3 livestream camera was located. This camera was buried under about 10 meters (32 feet) of molten spatter and tephra during inclined lava fountains of episode 38 on December 6, 2025. The upper third of the cliff face is this new spatter deposited during episode 38.
Aerial photograph looking at the southwestern rim of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera), where the original V3 livestream camera was located. This camera was buried under about 10 meters (32 feet) of molten spatter and tephra during inclined lava fountains of episode 38 on December 6, 2025. The upper third of the cliff face is this new spatter deposited during episode 38.
During a monitoring helicopter overflight on December 19, 2025, USGS geologists captured this southwest looking photo of the tephra hill that has grown over the past year of episodic lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea.
During a monitoring helicopter overflight on December 19, 2025, USGS geologists captured this southwest looking photo of the tephra hill that has grown over the past year of episodic lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea.
This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. As of this posting on December 11, 2025, the eruption has had thirty-eight episodes, with the most recent occurring on December 6.
This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. As of this posting on December 11, 2025, the eruption has had thirty-eight episodes, with the most recent occurring on December 6.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist collects clinker from a rubbly spatter-fed lava flow in Halema‘uma‘u crater produced during episode 38 lava fountaining. These lava samples are collected with permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and analyzed in the lab to better understand the magmatic system of Kīlauea.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist collects clinker from a rubbly spatter-fed lava flow in Halema‘uma‘u crater produced during episode 38 lava fountaining. These lava samples are collected with permission from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and analyzed in the lab to better understand the magmatic system of Kīlauea.
These three thermal maps were made from oblique thermal images collected during helicopter overflights of Kīlauea summit. The collection dates bracket the last two episodes of lava fountaining - episode 37 was on November 25 and episode 38 was on December 6.
These three thermal maps were made from oblique thermal images collected during helicopter overflights of Kīlauea summit. The collection dates bracket the last two episodes of lava fountaining - episode 37 was on November 25 and episode 38 was on December 6.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist services a GPS station on the floor of Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera). These instruments help measure ground deformation and track pressure changes in the summit magma reservoir. USGS photo by C. Sealing.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist services a GPS station on the floor of Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera). These instruments help measure ground deformation and track pressure changes in the summit magma reservoir. USGS photo by C. Sealing.
This map shows lava flow and tephra accumulation at the summit of Kīlauea volcano associated with episode 38 of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu that started on December 23, 2024, using data recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite constellation.
This map shows lava flow and tephra accumulation at the summit of Kīlauea volcano associated with episode 38 of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu that started on December 23, 2024, using data recorded by the Italian Space Agency's (ASI) COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite constellation.
On December 9, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists conducted an aerial overflight of Kīlauea summit region, following lava fountaining episode 38 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption on December 6. In this photo, the line on the ground in the lower left portion of the image shows the extent of tephra deposits created during episode 38.
On December 9, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists conducted an aerial overflight of Kīlauea summit region, following lava fountaining episode 38 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption on December 6. In this photo, the line on the ground in the lower left portion of the image shows the extent of tephra deposits created during episode 38.
On Tuesday, December 9, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists conducted a helicopter overflight of Kīlauea summit to survey changes from episode 38 lava fountaining a few days earlier. Scientists collected visual images for photogrammetry, thermal images, and collected lava samples from the caldera floor.
On Tuesday, December 9, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists conducted a helicopter overflight of Kīlauea summit to survey changes from episode 38 lava fountaining a few days earlier. Scientists collected visual images for photogrammetry, thermal images, and collected lava samples from the caldera floor.
Moments before the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory livestreaming V3cam was destroyed by falling tephra in episode 38 on December 6 ,2025, the V2cam captured the arc of lava erupting from the south vent. While the maximum fountain height of 384 meters (1260 feet) was on par with prior episodes, the fountaining erupted laterally by 600 meters (1970 feet); easi
Moments before the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory livestreaming V3cam was destroyed by falling tephra in episode 38 on December 6 ,2025, the V2cam captured the arc of lava erupting from the south vent. While the maximum fountain height of 384 meters (1260 feet) was on par with prior episodes, the fountaining erupted laterally by 600 meters (1970 feet); easi
On December 6, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists monitored and measured the Kīlaeua summit eruption episode 38 from multiple vantage points. This photo was captured around 10:00 a.m. from the northwest rim of the crater, near the V1 live-streaming webcam, with vigorous lava fountains underway at both the north and south vents. USGS photo by M.
On December 6, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists monitored and measured the Kīlaeua summit eruption episode 38 from multiple vantage points. This photo was captured around 10:00 a.m. from the northwest rim of the crater, near the V1 live-streaming webcam, with vigorous lava fountains underway at both the north and south vents. USGS photo by M.
The V3 camera was located on the south rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on the Island of Hawai‘i. The camera, located in a hazardous closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, was buried by tephra from an inclined lava fountain between 9:55 and 9:57 am HST on December 6, during episode 38 that began this morning at 8:45 am.
The V3 camera was located on the south rim of Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on the Island of Hawai‘i. The camera, located in a hazardous closed area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, was buried by tephra from an inclined lava fountain between 9:55 and 9:57 am HST on December 6, during episode 38 that began this morning at 8:45 am.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crew captured this photo of Kīlauea summit eruption episode 38 from the southern rim of Halemaʻumaʻu just after noon on December 6. This was shortly after the north vent shut down, so only south vent lava fountains were ongoing, measured to reach 920 feet (280 meters) in height at the time. USGS photo by M.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crew captured this photo of Kīlauea summit eruption episode 38 from the southern rim of Halemaʻumaʻu just after noon on December 6. This was shortly after the north vent shut down, so only south vent lava fountains were ongoing, measured to reach 920 feet (280 meters) in height at the time. USGS photo by M.
During Kīlauea summit eruption episode 38 on December 6, "tephra-nadoes" made a return, as seen to the left of the lava fountain in this photo. Swirling winds in the tephra fallout plume led to this short-lived twister, spotted by a field crew on the southern rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.
During Kīlauea summit eruption episode 38 on December 6, "tephra-nadoes" made a return, as seen to the left of the lava fountain in this photo. Swirling winds in the tephra fallout plume led to this short-lived twister, spotted by a field crew on the southern rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater.
This telephoto view shows the darker-colored, cooler tephra particles erupted by the episode 38 lava fountains falling from the eruptive plume. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.
This telephoto view shows the darker-colored, cooler tephra particles erupted by the episode 38 lava fountains falling from the eruptive plume. USGS photo by K. Mulliken.