Images

This map depicts cumulative tephra thicknesses for the Kīlauea summit eruption in areas southwest of the Halema‘uma‘u eruptive vents as of July 29, 2026.

Sample collection and analyses are an important part of understanding the state of Kīlauea, and the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) manages to collect samples of tephra and lava flows after almost every episode.

On Friday, August 28, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff conducted a morning overflight of the north, south, and west vents on the western side of Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea. Flames and weak glow could be seen in the livestream videos overnight, but during the overflight no glow or incandescence was visible from the north or west vents.

Another view of Kīlauea summit north, south, and west vents during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitoring helicopter overflight on Friday, August 28, 2026. Tephra and lava that filled in the south vent during lava fountaining episode 54 on August 25 is very noticeable here, whereas the north and west vents remain open and degassing. USGS photo by P.

After digging out and removing this volcanic gas monitoring site from a hole in the tephra deposit at Kīlauea summit, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) field technicians make repairs to the station including changing a solar panel that was cracked from tephra (volcanic rock fragments) impacting it.

On August 27, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff spent much of the day digging volcanic gas monitoring sites out of the tephra deposit from the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption. This station was moved out of a hole, seen to the right in the background of this image, and onto the top of the tephra deposit. USGS photo by L. DeSmither.

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff dig out infrastructure from one of several volcanic gas monitoring stations that were buried by a thick tephra deposit at Kīlauea summit that has accumulated since the episodic lava fountaining eruption began in December 2024.

Visitors view episode 54 lava fountaining from the north vent in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea on August 25, 2026. The north vent lava fountain reached an estimated 500 feet (150 meters) above ground level, and its plume reached 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) above sea level.

The landscape at the summit of Kīlauea has changed during the course of the episodic lava fountaining eruption that began in December 2024. This photograph, taken during episode 54 on August 25, 2026, shows the impressive hill of tephra on the west rim of the caldera, that has built up in the predominant downwind direction from the lava fountains.

Around 11 a.m. HST on August 25, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews had an aerial view of a growing lava fountain at the summit of Kīlauea during the onset of episode 54.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas scientist collects FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectrometer) data during lava fountaining episode 54 in Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of Kīlauea. This data is used to measure the chemical composition of volcanic gas being emitted during eruptive episodes. USGS photo by C. Gansecki. 

Episode 54 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea took place for about 9 hours on August 25, 2026. This photograph of the episode was taken by the B1cam, located on the south rim of the crater in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS webcam image. 

The north vent lava fountain in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea was about 150 meters (500 feet) in height around 12:30 p.m. HST on August 25, two hours after the start of episode 54. The volcanic plume rose to around 17,000 feet (5,200 m) above sea level. This photo was taken from Uēkahuna, alongside numerous visitors to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

The north vent fountain was growing around 11 a.m. HST on August 25, 2026, when USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews made observations during an overflight of Kīlauea summit. This view of the vent complex shows the north vent fountain (foreground left) and the inactive south (background left) and west (background right) vents. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

Episode 54 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea took place for about 9 hours on August 25, 2026. This photograph of the episode was taken by the KWcam, located on the northwest rim of the crater in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS webcam image.

The V1 livestreaming camera, located on the northwest rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater at the summit of  Kīlauea, captured this image of the episode 54 lava fountain at 11:47 a.m. HST. At that time, the lava fountain from the north vent was an estimated 400 feet (120 meters) high. USGS webcam image. 

Episode 54 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea took place for about 9 hours on August 25, 2026. This photograph of the episode was taken by the F1cam, a thermal camera, located on the northwest rim of the crater in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS webcam image. 

Episode 54 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea took place for about 9 hours on August 25, 2026. This photograph of the eruptive plume during the episode was taken by the KPcam, located on the south flank of Mauna Loa in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS webcam image. 

On August 25, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews were on an overflight of Kīlauea summit when the start of episode 54 lava fountaining began at 10:30 a.m. HST. This aerial view of the growing fountains was taken looking toward the west. USGS photo by K. Lynn.

The episodic lava fountaining eruption at Kīlauea summit has been taking place within Kaluapele, the summit caldera. In this photo, taken during episode 54 on August 25, 2026, around 11:45 a.m.

Lava fountains from the north vent in Halemaʻumaʻu, at the summit of Kīlauea volcano in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park during episode 54 on August 25, 2026. USGS photo by C. Gansecki.