An overview of episode 10 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption the morning of February 20, 2025. Episode 10 ended later that morning at 9:18 a.m HST, after just under 13 hours of fountaining. This photo shows lava fountains within the north vent feeding lava flows which covered an estimated 75% of the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu within the southern part of Kaluapele (Kīlauea caldera). USGS photo by L. Gallant. 

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) geologists captured this view of episode 10 of the Kīlauea summit eruption in Halema‘uma‘u during a sunrise field shift on February 20, 2025. HVO scientists measured fountain heights of about 45-50 m (148-164 feet) on average with frequent pulses reaching 60-65 meters (197-213 feet). Episode 10 started the evening of February 19, 2025, around 8:22 p.m. HST, with fountain heights reaching 90-125 meters (295-410 feet). The fountains continued to wane or decrease in the following hours and ended at 9:18 a.m. on February 20, 2025. The duration of episode 10 was about 13 hours. The north vent was the only active vent during this episode. USGS photo by H. Winslow.

A telephoto view of the north vent erupting during episode 10 of the 2024-2025 Halemʻumaʻu eruption within Kaluapele, the summit caldera of Kīlauea. USGS photo by L. Gallant during the morning of February 20, 2025. 

A Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientist checks the settings on a temporarily deployed camera. Infrastructure in this area is subject to the occasional volcanic bomb strike and may also experience intense heat. HVO scientists who enter the closed area carry safety gear to help mitigate the risks of being in this area and assess the dynamic threats based on the current levels of activity. The fountains in this image died down only an hour after this photograph was taken. USGS photo by L. Gallant.