Kīlauea EcoGuides

Kīlauea EcoGuides Kīlauea EcoGuides offers custom private education tours of the worlds most active volcano - Kīlauea.

Private tours and eruption updates of the worlds most active volcano, Kīlauea

01/29/2025

Check out this amazing timelapse footage of the most recent eruption phase here on Kīlauea volcano!

Episode 7 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 6:42PM on January 27, and continued through the night. Lava fountains fed some nice flows onto the crater floor.

This has been a very exciting eruption, and Pele keeps everyone guessing on when the lava will resurface again. Check back for the latest updates on the newest eruption here on the worlds most active volcano!



Sources/Usage: USGS/HVO Public Domain

The eruption is back on here at Kīlauea volcano, with some impressive lava fountains peaking at 45-m (150-ft) and some g...
01/28/2025

The eruption is back on here at Kīlauea volcano, with some impressive lava fountains peaking at 45-m (150-ft) and some great roaring sounds as the lava shoots into the air!

This eruption, which began on December 23rd, has been amazing to see and hear. But lets talk about some of the science behind it.

This graph is called a tiltmeter, and shows changes in the slope angle or "tilt" of the ground at the summit of Kīlauea. Also known as deformation, and measured in micoradians, this data shows how the volcano inflates and deflates according to pressure below the surface. Like a carpenter's level, an electronic tiltmeter uses a small container filled with a conducting fluid and a "bubble" to measure a change in slope.

You can almost look at this as the heartbeat of the volcano! When the blue line on the graph goes up, the volcano is building pressure. When the blue line goes down, during and eruption like this it is very likely we will start to see lava on the surface.

Our professional guides love to discuss the monitoring of the volcano, the various instrumentation used, and how the piping system under the volcano works while on our private tours. Contact us today to see the lava from a safe, legal location and gain a deepened understanding of this amazing place!

[email protected] - www.kilaueaecoguides.com



Sources/Usage: Public Domain

GO SEE THE GLOW WITH A PRO!The current summit eruption here on Kīlauea has been impressive, and is now over 1 month from...
01/27/2025

GO SEE THE GLOW WITH A PRO!

The current summit eruption here on Kīlauea has been impressive, and is now over 1 month from the initial eruption date. Each episode of lava fountaining since December 23rd has continued for 14 hours to 8 days and episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity.

Our professional guides not only have a deepened understanding of how eruption activity works here on Kīlauea, but can also get you to the best spot to see the eruption from various viewing locations around the crater rim trail. We love to get away from the big crowds!

Contact us today to book your private tour of the worlds most active volcano - [email protected]



Photo: Taken by one of our guides from a secret by legally accessible location :)

01/17/2025

This eruption just keeps getting better!

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews reported reached heights of 90 to 100 meters (295 to 330 feet) from the north vent and 40 to 50 meters (130 to 160 feet) from the south vent.

There have been lava ooze-outs overnight on the crater floor in areas that covered by lava during earlier episodes of the current eruption. Over the past 24 hours, persistent lava fountaining, coupled with Kona wind conditions, has resulted in Pele's hair falling on nearby communities.

Contact us today to book a private tour with one of our professional guides and see this eruption first hand!

www.kilaueaecoguides.com - [email protected]



Sources/Usage: USGS and HVO Public Domain

Annnnd, shes back!!Episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption began yesterday. Lava fountains resumed erupting fro...
01/16/2025

Annnnd, shes back!!

Episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption began yesterday. Lava fountains resumed erupting from the two vents that have been active in the eruption that began within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on December 23, 2024.

If fountaining continues, it is possible that the fountain heights will increase as more gas-rich lava erupted. It is not possible to estimate how high the fountains may get or how long the fountaining will last, but prior episodes have produced fountains over 70-m (200-ft) that last up to 24 hours.

Pele is putting on quite a show and you don't want to miss it, our guests have been getting some amazing views of the lava fountains while on our private tours! Check back for the latest updates on episode 4 of this amazing eruption.



Sources/Usage: USGS and HVO Public Domain

Well, we haven't seen lava here on Kīlauea for 10 days now. But what is going on and what is going to happen next?Check ...
01/14/2025

Well, we haven't seen lava here on Kīlauea for 10 days now. But what is going on and what is going to happen next?

Check out this awesome graphic from HVO in regard to ground tilt and eruptive episodes associated with Kīlauea summit over the past few weeks!

Eruptive episodes are highlighted in red. Fountain Episode 1 (E1) lasted 14 hours. Fountain Episode 2 (E2) lasted 15 hours. Fountain Episode 3 (E3) lasted 8 and a half days.

Assuming the eruptive vent remains open, indicated by continued glow and degassing, and inflation rate remains constant, a new episode could potentially begin sometime very soon! We have seen glow from the vent inside Halema‘uma‘u crater and have been experiencing some small seismic events, so lava could resurface at any moment.

What an exciting time to explore the worlds most active volcano, contact us today to book your private tour with one of our professional guides!

[email protected] - www.kilaueaecoguides.com



Sources/Usage: USGS and HVO Public Domain

01/04/2025

The eruption at Kīlauea volcano that began on Monday, December 23 continues and Pele is putting on an awesome show!

Over the past day, vents in the southwest portion of the caldera have continued producing a fan of lava flows covering most of the crater floor during sustained lava fountaining.

The north vent shutdown on January 2 after parts of the cone collapsed into the fountain. The remaining lava fountain is 20-30M (60-100FT) high and feeding flows that are covering most of the crater floor to the down-drop block.

It does not look like this eruption will stop anytime soon, so contact us today to book your private tour of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park!

[email protected] - www.kilaueaecoguides.com



USGS videos: the legend and our buddy M. Patrick

12/26/2024

Incredible Footage of the ongoing summit eruption here on Kīlauea volcano!

Glowing red lava fountains are continuing to erupt within the summit crater. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists monitored the eruption from the caldera rim, measuring the lava fountain heights at approximately 75-M (246-FT) during an afternoon monitoring fieldshift. Lava fountaining in the west part of the caldera feeds lava flows that were observed moving east tens of meters (yards) per hour.

Check back for the latest updates on the worlds most active volcano!


USGS video: H Winslow

12/23/2024

PELE IS HOME! For the holidays :)

At 6:30AM HST a new summit eruption began at Halemaʻumaʻu crater. At 4:30AM HST, lava fountains were observed with heights up to 80-M (262-FT. Molten material, including lava bombs, is being ejected from the vents on the caldera floor up onto the west caldera rim, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. By 5:30AM, lava covered an estimated area of 400 acres of the caldera floor.

The ongoing eruption of Kīlauea is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The eruption began at approximately 2:20AM, and vents are continuing to erupt on the floor of the southwest part of the summit caldera. The primary hazard of concern at this time is high levels of volcanic gas which can have far-reaching effects down-wind (generally southwest) of the summit. The plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles is reaching elevations of 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level (2,000-4,000 feet above ground level) and winds are transporting it to the southwest, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Check back for the latest updates on the new eruption, wishing you all a very happy holidays!


Video/Info: HVO/USGS Public Domain

Where is the lava?!?Well, the eruption near Nāpau Crater remains paused since the morning of September 20. Glow from the...
09/22/2024

Where is the lava?!?

Well, the eruption near Nāpau Crater remains paused since the morning of September 20. Glow from the vent and flows died out overnight and very little glow was visible this morning.

Lava flows from this eruption have covered about 2/3 (500,000 square meters or 125 acres) of the floor of Nāpau Crater. In total, this eruption has covered more than 630,000 square meters (156 acres) of Nāpau Crater.

We will just have to wait and see what happens next! For now, enjoy this awesome photo of some spatter from the eruption this past Friday. Check back for the latest updates!



USGS photo by our friend and colleague M. Patrick

Kīlauea volcano continues to erupt inside Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park!A new fissure vent opened just west of Nāpau C...
09/20/2024

Kīlauea volcano continues to erupt inside Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park!

A new fissure vent opened just west of Nāpau Crater on September 18 around 3PM HST. This is the fourth vent system of this eruption and it began rapidly creating lava cascades (aka lava falls) that poured over the western cliffs of Nāpau Crater. That is what you see here in this photo.

The lava channel feeding this lava cascade is around 50 meters (164 feet) wide. Lava is contained within Nāpau Crater and now covers about two thirds of the crater floor. The rate of coverage indicates lava is erupting at roughly 5-15 cubic meters per second (6-16 cubic yards). In total, approximately two thirds of Nāpau Crater floor (500,000 square meters or about 125 acres) has been covered during this eruption since Sunday night.

What will Pele do next? Check back for the latest updates on the new eruption here on Kīlauea volcano!



Photo/Info: HVO/USGS, public domain

Here we have a map to get you oriented to the location of the eruption in a remote and closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes ...
09/17/2024

Here we have a map to get you oriented to the location of the eruption in a remote and closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

The yellow line on the reference map shows the location of the eruptive fissure relative to other landmarks. The eruption took place near the National Park Nāpau campsite (east of Kānenuiohamo and Makaopuhi Crater and west of Nāpau Crater). The eruption does not appear to have impacted Napau campground but may have partly covered the pulu station nearby. As shown in the photo on our previous post, the eruption has migrated to the floor of Makaopuhi crater, and as you can see this map is from September 15th when the eruption technically began.

Numerous eruptions have taken place in the upper East Rift Zone during the 1960s–1970s. Most of these eruptions occurred between Hiʻiaka crater and Puʻuʻōʻō and lasted from less than 1 day to about 2 weeks, although there were long-lived eruptions at Maunaulu (1969-1974) and Puʻuʻōʻō (1983-2018).

Check back for the latest updates on this new eruption here on the worlds most active volcano!



Map and info: USGS/HVO, public domain

Kīlauea volcano is ERUPTING!!This newest eruption is occurring near the Makaopuhi Crater in Hawai’i Volcanoes National P...
09/17/2024

Kīlauea volcano is ERUPTING!!

This newest eruption is occurring near the Makaopuhi Crater in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Eruptive activity increased this morning around 5AM, and there is no immediate threat to life or infrastructure. At this time we are not able to access the eruption, but are working with National Park management to get legal and safe access. If we are able to legally and safely access this new eruption it will require a long, difficult hike as the eruption is taking place in an isolated location of the National Park.

This photograph of the ongoing middle East Rift Zone eruption was captured during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight during the morning of September 17, 2024. Geologists observed fountaining eruptive fissures and active lava flows on the floor of Nāpau Crater, just downrift (northeast) of the September 15 eruptive fissure. This south-facing view shows the current activity from the north side of Nāpau Crater.

Check back for the latest updates on this new eruption on the most active volcano on earth!



USGS photo: A. Ellis, public domain

08/09/2024

Interesting information on the lake of water at the bottom of the crater after the 2018 summit collapse! Mahalo USGS and HVO

We are a little late to the party here, but as you might have heard a new eruption began early this morning here on Kīla...
06/04/2024

We are a little late to the party here, but as you might have heard a new eruption began early this morning here on Kīlauea volcano!

But here is the big news - that eruption that began this morning southwest of the summit has paused. That was quick! Hands down one of the shortest eruptions we have seen in modern history here on Kīlauea. This is a photo of the fissure eruption just after sunrise.

According to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists, lava flow erupting stopped around 12:30 p.m. today. Sulfur dioxide emissions dropped from 15,000 to 12,000 tonnes between 7:45 a.m. and noon, and earthquake activity decreased near Mauna Iki, west of the eruption cracks. Although glowing areas and increased volcanic gas emissions persist, it's unlikely that night-time glow or molten lava will be visible from public viewing areas.

Ground deformation has been characterized by slow summit deflation since 2AM HST, suggesting that magma may still be moving from summit storage to the southwest into the eruption area.

We have been getting a lot of calls and emails asking if the lava is accessible and even visible from a distance, but unfortunately the answer is no at this time. Things can change very quickly however so check back for the latest eruption updates on the worlds most active volcano!



Photo courtesy of Yvonne Baur/Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association and USGS

This interferogram, acquired by the Italian Space Agency's COSMO-SkyMed satellite system, shows surface deformation that...
05/08/2024

This interferogram, acquired by the Italian Space Agency's COSMO-SkyMed satellite system, shows surface deformation that occurred at the summit of Kīlauea during April 19 - May 5. Each colored fringe indicates about 1.5-CM (0.6-IN) of ground motion. Where you see more fringes, there is more deformation occurring. Earthquakes that took place during the time covered by the interferogram are shown as white circles, with circle size indicating earthquake magnitude.

The deformation indicates that swarm seismicity over the past two weeks has been driven by rapid pressurization in the south part of Kaluapele, the summit caldera at Kīlauea. The upper East Rift Zone often becomes seismically active during summit inflation episodes like this one. This seismicity is not necessarily a sign of magma moving into the East Rift Zone, but rather reflects the stress imparted by the summit pressure increase.

Pele has us all guessing at this point, what will happen next? Check back for the latest updates on the worlds most active volcano!



Interferogram and info: USGS/HVO public domain

The significant increase in seismicity beneath the upper East Rift Zone and caldera south of Halemaʻumaʻu crater that be...
04/30/2024

The significant increase in seismicity beneath the upper East Rift Zone and caldera south of Halemaʻumaʻu crater that began on April 27 is continuing!

Earthquake activity increased sharply just after midnight on April 27. Earthquakes are occurring at depths of 1.5-2.5 km (1-1.5 miles) beneath the surface. There were over 360 earthquakes in the past 24 hours. Unlike the previous 24 hours, no earthquakes greater than magnitude-3 were observed. Most earthquakes were less than magnitude-2 punctuated by occasional larger earthquakes with magnitudes between 2 and 3. Activity is ongoing at a rate of about 15 earthquakes per hour.

Accelerated rates of ground deformation continue with ongoing overall inflation of the summit and uplift south of the caldera.

Check back for the latest updates on the worlds most active volcano!



EQ map and info: USGS/HVO public domain

With all the interesting changes recently here on Kīlauea volcano, we thought it would be a great time to share this int...
02/07/2024

With all the interesting changes recently here on Kīlauea volcano, we thought it would be a great time to share this interesting cross section of the volcano's piping system!

This photo shows the proposed magma plumbing system beneath the surface of Kīlauea. The exact depths and geometries of these connections are not well known, but this cross section represents one of the hypothesized configurations.

The recent flurry of seismic events suggests that the magma was moving towards the south of the caldera, marked as the SWRZ (southwest rift zone) on this slide.

While there is no visible eruption here at this time, data does suggest that there could be a new eruption within or southwest of the caldera with little advance warning. Remember, our eruptions here on Kīlauea are effusive and do not normally produce dangerous or explosive eruptions.

The piping system of the volcanoes, and how that eventually leads to the formation of the Hawaiian islands, is something we discuss quite a bit on our private tours. Contact us today to book an exploration with one of our award winning professional guides - [email protected]

www.kilaueaecoguides.com



Photo and info: USGS/HVO public domain

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Videos

Check out this amazing timelapse footage of the most recent eruption phase here on Kīlauea volcano! Episode 7 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 6:42PM on January 27, and continued through the night. Lava fountains fed some nice flows onto the crater floor. This has been a very exciting eruption, and Pele keeps everyone guessing on when the lava will resurface again. Check back for the latest updates on the newest eruption here on the worlds most active volcano! #kilauea #hawaii #bigisland #volcanovillage #hvnp #hawaiivolcanoesnationalpark #volcanoesnationalpark #halemaumau #jaggarmuseum #thurstonlavatube #volcanohouse #hawaiiisland #lethawaiihappen #hawaiioutdoors #experiencevolcano #ig_hawaii #explorevolcano #kilaueaecoguides #findyourpark #sciencenerds #kona #hilo #privatetour #seismic #earthquake #eruption #lava #magma #Hawaii2025 Sources/Usage: USGS/HVO Public Domain

This eruption just keeps getting better! USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field crews reported reached heights of 90 to 100 meters (295 to 330 feet) from the north vent and 40 to 50 meters (130 to 160 feet) from the south vent. There have been lava ooze-outs overnight on the crater floor in areas that covered by lava during earlier episodes of the current eruption. Over the past 24 hours, persistent lava fountaining, coupled with Kona wind conditions, has resulted in Pele's hair falling on nearby communities. Contact us today to book a private tour with one of our professional guides and see this eruption first hand! www.kilaueaecoguides.com - [email protected] #kilauea #hawaii #bigisland #volcanovillage #hvnp #hawaiivolcanoesnationalpark #volcanoesnationalpark #halemaumau #jaggarmuseum #thurstonlavatube #volcanohouse #hawaiiisland #lethawaiihappen #hawaiioutdoors #experiencevolcano #ig_hawaii #explorevolcano #kilaueaecoguides #findyourpark #sciencenerds #kona #hilo #privatetour #seismic #earthquake #eruption #lava #magma #Hawaii2025 Sources/Usage: USGS and HVO Public Domain

Kilauea summit eruption, JAN 03 2025
Kilauea summit eruption, JAN 03 2025

The eruption at Kīlauea volcano that began on Monday, December 23 continues and Pele is putting on an awesome show! Over the past day, vents in the southwest portion of the caldera have continued producing a fan of lava flows covering most of the crater floor during sustained lava fountaining. The north vent shutdown on January 2 after parts of the cone collapsed into the fountain. The remaining lava fountain is 20-30M (60-100FT) high and feeding flows that are covering most of the crater floor to the down-drop block. It does not look like this eruption will stop anytime soon, so contact us today to book your private tour of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park! [email protected] - www.kilaueaecoguides.com #kilauea #hawaii #bigisland #volcanovillage #hvnp #hawaiivolcanoesnationalpark #volcanoesnationalpark #halemaumau #jaggarmuseum #thurstonlavatube #volcanohouse #hawaiiisland #lethawaiihappen #hawaiioutdoors #experiencevolcano #ig_hawaii #explorevolcano #kilaueaecoguides #findyourpark #sciencenerds #kona #hilo #privatetour #seismic #earthquake #eruption #Hawaii2025 USGS videos: the legend and our buddy M. Patrick

Kilauea Summit Eruption - December 2024
Kilauea Summit Eruption - December 2024

Incredible Footage of the ongoing summit eruption here on Kīlauea volcano! Glowing red lava fountains are continuing to erupt within the summit crater. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists monitored the eruption from the caldera rim, measuring the lava fountain heights at approximately 75-M (246-FT) during an afternoon monitoring fieldshift. Lava fountaining in the west part of the caldera feeds lava flows that were observed moving east tens of meters (yards) per hour. Check back for the latest updates on the worlds most active volcano! #kilauea #hawaii #bigisland #volcanovillage #hvnp #hawaiivolcanoesnationalpark #volcanoesnationalpark #halemaumau #jaggarmuseum #thurstonlavatube #volcanohouse #hawaiiisland #lethawaiihappen #hawaiioutdoors #experiencevolcano #ig_hawaii #explorevolcano #kilaueaecoguides #findyourpark #sciencenerds #kona #hilo #privatetour #seismic #earthquake #eruption #hawaii2024 USGS video: H Winslow

PELE IS HOME! For the holidays :) At 6:30AM HST a new summit eruption began at Halemaʻumaʻu crater. At 4:30AM HST, lava fountains were observed with heights up to 80-M (262-FT. Molten material, including lava bombs, is being ejected from the vents on the caldera floor up onto the west caldera rim, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. By 5:30AM, lava covered an estimated area of 400 acres of the caldera floor. The ongoing eruption of Kīlauea is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The eruption began at approximately 2:20AM, and vents are continuing to erupt on the floor of the southwest part of the summit caldera. The primary hazard of concern at this time is high levels of volcanic gas which can have far-reaching effects down-wind (generally southwest) of the summit. The plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles is reaching elevations of 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level (2,000-4,000 feet above ground level) and winds are transporting it to the southwest, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Check back for the latest updates on the new eruption, wishing you all a very happy holidays! #kilauea #hawaii #bigisland #volcanovillage #hvnp #hawaiivolcanoesnationalpark #volcanoesnationalpark #halemaumau #jaggarmuseum #thurstonlavatube #volcanohouse #hawaiiisland #lethawaiihappen #hawaiioutdoors #experiencevolcano #ig_hawaii #explorevolcano #kilaueaecoguides #findyourpark #sciencenerds #kona #hilo #privatetour #seismic #earthquake #eruption #hawaii2024 Video/Info: HVO/USGS Public Domain

PELE IS HOME! For the holidays This morning, a new summit eruption began at Halemaʻumaʻu crater. At 4:30AM HST, lava fountains were observed with heights up to 80-M (262-FT. Molten material, including lava bombs, is being ejected from the vents on the caldera floor up onto the west caldera rim, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. By 5:30AM, lava covered an estimated area of 400 acres of the caldera floor. The ongoing eruption of Kīlauea is occurring within a closed area of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The eruption began at approximately 2:20AM, and vents are continuing to erupt on the floor of the southwest part of the summit caldera. The primary hazard of concern at this time is high levels of volcanic gas which can have far-reaching effects down-wind (generally southwest) of the summit. The plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles is reaching elevations of 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level (2,000-4,000 feet above ground level) and winds are transporting it to the southwest, within the closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Check back for the latest updates on the new eruption, wishing you all a very happy holidays! #kilauea #hawaii #bigisland #volcanovillage #hvnp #hawaiivolcanoesnationalpark #volcanoesnationalpark #halemaumau #jaggarmuseum #thurstonlavatube #volcanohouse #hawaiiisland #lethawaiihappen #hawaiioutdoors #experiencevolcano #ig_hawaii #explorevolcano #kilaueaecoguides #findyourpark #sciencenerds #kona #hilo #privatetour #seismic #earthquake #eruption #hawaii2024 Video/Info: HVO/USGS Public Domain

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