After nearly a decade as the Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator, Talmadge Magno will retire on August 1, 2026.

Born and raised in Mountain View on the Island of Hawaiʻi, Magno’s career began with an early interest in hazards and their effect on people. After graduating from Hilo High School and earning a degree in Geography from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, he joined the National Park Service. 

Magno eventually returned home as Chief Ranger at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, guiding responses to Kīlauea eruptions at Puʻuʻōʻō on the East Rift Zone and a new vent that opened in Halemaʻumaʻu in 2008, which would later become a lava lake. 

In 2017, he became Civil Defense Administrator, a position that oversees emergency management in the County of Hawaii. Less than a year later, the largest summit collapse of Kīlauea and devastating lower East Rift Zone eruption occurred. A Federal Disaster was declared and though the eruption ended after three months, recovery is ongoing even today. Magno led Hawaii County through numerous other challenges, from hurricanes and fires to Mauna Loa’s 2022 eruption and ongoing lava fountaining activity at Kīlauea’s summit.

Throughout his tenure, Magno emphasized science-based decision-making and the strength of Hawaii’s communities. As he steps down, he reminds us that preparedness and strong relationships are key to resilience.

HVO extends its deepest thanks to Talmadge Magno for his steady leadership and service.

In his final week, Kīlauea erupted episode 52 of lava fountaining at the summit.  Summit inflation has since resumed, indicating that another fountaining episode is possible but more data are needed to make a forecast. 

Mahalo for listening, I’m Katie Mulliken and this was your weekly volcano minute brought to you by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.