Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Kīlauea images of eruptive activity, field work, and more.
Near the end of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory overflight this morning, August 15, the crew passed by the Halema‘uma‘u eruptive vents that have fed lava fountaining episodes at the summit of Kīlauea since December 23, 2024.
Near the end of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory overflight this morning, August 15, the crew passed by the Halema‘uma‘u eruptive vents that have fed lava fountaining episodes at the summit of Kīlauea since December 23, 2024.
New fissures opened up on and near the base of the northwest wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater last night, north of the established vent complex at the summit of Kīlauea.
New fissures opened up on and near the base of the northwest wall of Halemaʻumaʻu crater last night, north of the established vent complex at the summit of Kīlauea.
This image, captured by the V1cam on the northwest rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater on September 11, 2026, shows a dome fountain feeding a lava flow from the north vent at the summit of Kīlauea. This style of activity was intermittent in the several days leading up to episode 55 of lava fountaining. USGS webcam image.
This image, captured by the V1cam on the northwest rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater on September 11, 2026, shows a dome fountain feeding a lava flow from the north vent at the summit of Kīlauea. This style of activity was intermittent in the several days leading up to episode 55 of lava fountaining. USGS webcam image.
This image, captured by the V1cam on the northwest rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater on September 11, 2026, shows the north vent at the summit of Kīlauea just after a dome fountain stopped erupting and lava had drained back into the vent. This style of activity was intermittent in the several days leading up to episode 55 of lava fountaining. USGS webcam image.
This image, captured by the V1cam on the northwest rim of Halemaʻumaʻu crater on September 11, 2026, shows the north vent at the summit of Kīlauea just after a dome fountain stopped erupting and lava had drained back into the vent. This style of activity was intermittent in the several days leading up to episode 55 of lava fountaining. USGS webcam image.
During a Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight around 12:45 a.m. HST on September 10, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff collected a sample of the overflows that have occurred from the north vent from between September 7-10. This photo shows the geologist collecting the sample with the vent complex at the west end of Halema‘uma‘u in the background.
During a Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight around 12:45 a.m. HST on September 10, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff collected a sample of the overflows that have occurred from the north vent from between September 7-10. This photo shows the geologist collecting the sample with the vent complex at the west end of Halema‘uma‘u in the background.
This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. Most of the data for this map were collected during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on August 28, 2026, so the provided statistics are reflective of the entire eruption through episode 54 on August 25.
This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. Most of the data for this map were collected during a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on August 28, 2026, so the provided statistics are reflective of the entire eruption through episode 54 on August 25.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The K2 cam is located on a tower near Uēkahuna bluff in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. This image, captured by the K2cam at 11:46 a.m. HST on August 25, 2026, shows visitors at the overlook viewing the lava fountain from the north vent that erupted during episode 54. USGS webcam photo.
The K2 cam is located on a tower near Uēkahuna bluff in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. This image, captured by the K2cam at 11:46 a.m. HST on August 25, 2026, shows visitors at the overlook viewing the lava fountain from the north vent that erupted during episode 54. USGS webcam photo.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.