Episode 26 of Kīlauea eruption spews lava fountains 1,000 feet high

Episode 26 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at approximately 1:40 a.m. HST on Friday, June 20, 2025, with lava fountains and flows erupting from the north vent. Within less than a half hour, at 2:10 a.m., lava fountains had reached heights of over 1,000 feet, according to a volcanic activity summary issued by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. 

According to the National Weather Service, winds are blowing from the north direction, which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and tephra from the lava fountain may be distributed south of Halema’uma’u caldera. 

Episode 26 was preceded by small, sporadic spattering and lava overflows from the north vent that began at approximately 11:26 p.m. and continued to increase in intensity until 1:40 a.m., when sustained fountaining began, according to the HVO.

The HVO reports that inflationary tilt reached just over 15.3 microradians since the end of the last episode. Seismic tremor began increasing and tilt at UWD switched from inflationary to deflationary at about 1:40 a.m. HST, about the same time lava fountaining increased in intensity. 

Most episodes of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since Dec. 23, 2024, have continued for around a day or less and have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting generally at least several days. 

• Timeline of eruptive episodes since Dec. 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 

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. A VAN/VONA will be issued when sustained lava fountaining ceases and the eruption is paused, or earlier if the situation warrants a further update.

Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.