Kīlauea is not erupting at present. Episode 52 ended at 2:36 a.m. HST on 29 July 2026; summit reinflation and persistent vent glow indicate that another episode remains likely.
Kīlauea
One of Earth’s most active shield volcanoes—where Halemaʻumaʻu, vast rift zones and repeated lava-fountain episodes continually reshape Hawaiʻi’s youngest landscape.
Hawaiʻi’s living volcano
Kīlauea is a broad basaltic shield volcano built by repeated eruptions from its summit and two major rift zones. Its low profile hides an enormous volcanic system extending from the summit caldera to the sea.
Halemaʻumaʻu sits within Kaluapele, the summit caldera. For generations it has been one of the most culturally and scientifically significant volcanic places in Hawaiʻi. Modern eruptions have repeatedly transformed the crater through collapse, lava lakes, vents, fountains and rapid resurfacing.
Kīlauea’s basaltic magma is fluid compared with the stickier magma of many explosive stratovolcanoes. That allows spectacular lava fountains and long lava flows—but it does not make the volcano harmless. Gas, tephra, ground cracking, earthquakes and rapidly advancing lava have all affected communities and visitors.
The current summit eruption began on 23 December 2024 and has progressed through dozens of discrete fountain episodes separated by pauses. Pressure builds during inflation, an episode releases lava and gas, and the summit then begins to recharge.
The rhythm of Halemaʻumaʻu
Kīlauea’s current eruption is not one continuous fountain. It is a repeating cycle of pressure, eruption, deflation and recharge.
During pauses, the shallow summit system reinflates and glow may remain visible at the vents. As pressure recovers, low-level overflows or dome fountains can appear before the onset of a larger episode.
Episode 52 began at 7:10 p.m. HST on 28 July 2026 and ended at 2:36 a.m. the following morning. North-vent fountains reached about 500 feet (150 metres) above ground level, while the south vent emitted flames but did not produce sustained fountains.
How Kīlauea works
Summit and rift zones
Kīlauea does not erupt only at its summit. Two major rift zones carry magma away from the caldera through long bands of fractures and vents.
The East Rift Zone extends towards the island’s eastern coast and hosted the long-lived Puʻuʻōʻō eruption from 1983 to 2018. In 2018, magma drained from the summit and erupted through lower-rift fissures in residential areas, destroying more than 700 structures.
The Southwest Rift Zone has also produced important eruptions and remains part of the active volcanic system. No significant activity is currently reported along either rift zone, but HVO monitors both continuously.
Watching every change
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory combines dense ground networks with cameras, gas measurements and satellite data. The aim is to understand both the active summit eruption and any magma movement into Kīlauea’s rift zones.
Eruptions through history
Deadly explosive eruption
An explosive summit eruption produced pyroclastic surges and remains the deadliest known volcanic event in the present-day United States.
Halemaʻumaʻu explosions
Groundwater interacted with the draining summit system, producing weeks of explosive activity.
Kīlauea Iki lava fountains
Exceptionally high fountains built Puʻupuaʻi and created a deep lava lake in Kīlauea Iki crater.
Puʻuʻōʻō eruption
A 35-year East Rift Zone eruption repeatedly sent lava towards the sea and transformed large areas of the district.
Lower East Rift Zone crisis
Summit collapse and lower-rift fissures destroyed neighbourhoods and dramatically enlarged Kaluapele.
Repeated summit eruptions
Several eruptions filled parts of Halemaʻumaʻu with new lava following the 2018 collapse.
Episodic fountain eruption
The current summit eruption has produced dozens of discrete lava-fountain episodes from vents inside Halemaʻumaʻu.
Main hazards
Lava flows
Fluid lava can advance rapidly on steep slopes, destroy structures and cut roads and utilities.
Volcanic gas
SO₂ creates vog and may affect breathing and air quality far downwind.
Tephra and Pele’s hair
Fountains produce glass fragments, ash and strands that can affect roads, people and equipment.
Earthquakes and cracking
Magma movement and faulting can damage roads and buildings before or during eruptions.
Explosive activity
Although less common than lava flows, Kīlauea has produced dangerous summit explosions.
Ocean-entry hazards
Lava entering the sea can create unstable deltas, steam explosions and acidic laze plumes.
A volcano that never stops teaching
“Kīlauea is captivating because its lava makes geology visible in real time. Yet every glowing fountain sits within a much larger system capable of summit collapse, destructive rift eruptions and profound change across the island.”
This editorial summary is based on the scientific information presented above. It does not replace official monitoring or public-safety guidance from USGS HVO, Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense or Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Kīlauea explained
What is Kīlauea’s current alert level?
USGS HVO currently lists Kīlauea at Advisory with an aviation colour code of Yellow.
Is Kīlauea erupting now?
No. The summit eruption is paused following episode 52, which ended on 29 July 2026.
Will another episode occur?
USGS HVO reports that renewed summit inflation and vent glow indicate another lava-fountain episode is likely, though timing remains uncertain.
Where is the current eruption?
The current eruption is confined to vents inside Halemaʻumaʻu within Kaluapele at Kīlauea’s summit.
What is Halemaʻumaʻu?
It is the pit crater and active vent area within Kīlauea’s summit caldera.
Why are the eruptions episodic?
The shallow summit magma system repeatedly pressurises, erupts and deflates before beginning another recharge cycle.
Who monitors Kīlauea?
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory operates the scientific monitoring networks.
Can visitors see the eruption?
There is no active fountaining during pauses. Access and visibility depend on Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park rules, weather and official closures.
What is vog?
Vog is volcanic air pollution formed when sulphur dioxide reacts in the atmosphere.
Could Kīlauea erupt outside the summit?
Yes. Its East and Southwest Rift Zones have produced many eruptions, including the destructive 2018 lower-rift eruption.
How tall were episode 52 fountains?
The north vent reached about 500 feet, or 150 metres, above ground level.
Where are official updates published?
Use the USGS HVO Kīlauea updates, webcams and volcano-notification pages.
Official science, made readable
Volcoholics Atlas chapters use official observatory publications, civil-protection information and authoritative eruption records. Editorial passages explain why the observations matter while keeping official monitoring and safety guidance clearly separate.