USGS releases detailed maps of Kīlauea summit eruption

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory published two new maps of the Kīlauea summit area, documenting changes since the eruption began on 23 December 2024. Data were gathered during a helicopter overflight on 30 June 2026 and cover eruptive episodes 1 through 50.

The maps display lava‑flow thickness within Halema‘uma‘u crater, vent and tephra‑cone dimensions, and total lava extent of 452 hectares (1,116 acres) with a volume of about 284.7 million cubic metres (75.2 billion gallons). They also include west‑to‑east caldera profiles showing topographic changes since the 2018 collapse and the maximum depth of the 2019‑2020 water lake. The volcano’s alert level remains at “Advisory.”