USGS Volcano Notice - DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-08-26T01:20:48+00:00

HVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice

Volcano: Kilauea (VNUM #332010)

Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Previous Volcano Alert Level: WATCH

Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW
Previous Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Issued: Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 7:47 PM HST
Source: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
Notice Number: 2026/H406
Location: N 19 deg 25 min W 155 deg 17 min
Elevation: 4091 ft (1247 m)
Area: Hawaii

Summary: Lava fountaining episode 54 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended abruptly at 7:33 p.m. HST on August 25. USGS is dropping the Volcano Alert Level from WATCH to ADVISORY and the Aviation Color Code from ORANGE to YELLOW.

Volcanic Activity:

Episode 54 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption at the summit of Kīlauea ended abruptly at 7:33 p.m. HST on August 25 after 9 hours of continuous lava fountaining from the north vent. Due to reduced ground and aviation hazards, the USGS is dropping the Volcano Alert Level from WATCH to ADVISORY and the Aviation Color Code from ORANGE to YELLOW. Additional details on this eruptive episode will be provided in the next official report.

All eruptive vents and lava flows are confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Tephra fall from volcanic ash clouds is greatest within 3 miles (5 km) of the vents, lighter ash and Pele's Hair may stay suspended for large distances from the vents.
Timeline of eruptive episodes since December 23, 2024: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/science/eruption-information
Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos are available here: https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streams
Additional short updates shared during the episode can be found here: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/observatory-messages

Remarks:

Hazard Analysis: 

Volcanic Gas: Water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions can remain locally hazardous in the areas immediately downwind of the vents, even when the vents are not actively erupting. SO₂ reacts in the atmosphere to create vog (volcanic air pollution) downwind. SO₂ and vog may cause respiratory and other problems at high concentrations. Further information on vog can be found at https://vog.ivhhn.org/.

Tephra: Small glassy volcanic fragments may be remobilized during windy conditions following recent eruptive episodes. Residents and visitors should minimize exposure to these fragments, which can cause skin and eye irritation. More information is available at the links below:

Lava flows: Lava on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera, remain hot and may slowly move in the days immediately following an eruptive episode.

Other significant hazards exist around Kīlauea caldera from Halemaʻumaʻu crater wall instability, ground cracking, and rockfalls that can be enhanced by earthquakes. Close to the vents, the tephra material on the crater rim is prone to cracking, slumping, and small landslides that sometimes expose hot and molten material within. This underscores the extremely hazardous nature of Kīlauea's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater, an area that has been closed to the public since late 2007.

Contacts:

askHVO@usgs.gov

Next Notice:

HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and will issue additional notices as needed based on activity. Regularly scheduled daily updates for Kīlauea are posted on the HVO website at https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates

More Information:

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park visitor information: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
Kīlauea webcam images: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/webcams
Kīlauea photos/video: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/photo-and-video-chronology
Kīlauea lava-flow maps: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/maps
Kīlauea FAQs: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/faqs

Subscribe to these messages: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vns2/
Summary of volcanic hazards from eruptions: https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hazards
Recent earthquakes in Hawaiʻi (map and list): https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo
Explanation of Volcano Alert Levels and Aviation Color Codes: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanic-alert-levels-characterize-conditions-us-volcanoes

VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA)

WMPA01 PHVO 260547   
VONA
DTG:                    20260826/0547Z
VOLCANO:                KILAUEA 332010
PSN:                    N1925 W15517
AREA:                   HAWAII
SOURCE ELEV:            4091FT AMSL
NOTICE NR:              2026/60
CURRENT COLOUR CODE:    YELLOW
PREVIOUS COLOUR CODE:   ORANGE
SVO:                    HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
ACT STS:                ERUPTION OCCURRED
ONSET:                  20260825/2030Z
DUR:                    9 HR
VA CLD HGT:             7300FT AMSL
HGT SOURCE:             WEBCAM
MOV:                    S
CTC:                    HVO DUTY SCIENTIST: 808-785-3144
RMK:                    KILAUEA SUMMIT LAVA FOUNTAIN EPISODE 54 ENDED AT 7:33 PM HST. FOUNTAIN ACTIVITY IN
                        THIS AREA UNLIKELY FOR THE NEXT WEEK. REFER TO NWS FOR INFORMATION ON DRIFTING VA
                        PLUME.
NXT NOTICE:             A NEW VONA WILL BE ISSUED IF COND CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY OR IF THE COLOR CODE CHANGES
NNNN