USGS webcam shows the 6 new vents in Halemaʻumaʻu. Lava from the 6th vent is visible on the bottom right of the image.

Sixth Vent Opens In Halemaʻumaʻu, Some Deflation Noted

Big Island Video News

Sep 16, 2026

STORY SUMMARY

(BIVN) – Another new vent opened at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on Wednesday evening.  The new vent, vent 6, opened on the floor…

(BIVN) – Another new vent opened at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on Wednesday evening. 

The new vent, vent 6, opened on the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater just to the north of vent 5. Lava from the vent 6 was visible just before 6 p.m. HST. 

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory noted the start of a small summit tilt drop around 5 p.m. may correlate with the opening of vent 6. 

The new vents opened to the north of the established vent complex on Monday night. 

USGS: “Oblique aerial view to the north of the lava flows (silvery appearance) that have erupted from the new fissures at the summit of Kīlauea volcano within Halema‘uma‘u. This photo was taken on a USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory overflight the morning of September 16. The currently active fissure on the crater floor is towards the bottom center of the photo, while a currently inactive fissure has minor incandescence on the bottom left.” (USGS photo by N. Deligne)

Low-level lava activity continued at the established vent complex into Wednesday evening. Strong glow, flames, and intermittent spattering could be seen, mostly from the north vent. There was a partial collapse of the spatter cone that had built up around the north vent around 8:28 p.m., but it did not appear to stifle the ongoing activity. 

About The Featured Image

USGS webcam shows the 6 new vents in Halemaʻumaʻu. Lava from the 6th vent is visible on the bottom right of the image.


Image placeholder

Big Island Video News has been serving Hawaiʻi island since 2008.