U.S. Geological Survey - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

Kilauea - Eruption Update - Eruption Summary - History

Volcanic Hazards

Kilauea is Hawai`i's youngest volcano and one of the world's most active. Over 90 percent of Kilauea's surface is covered by lava less than 1,100 years old. In historical time, all of Kilauea's eruptions have occurred either in or near its summit caldera, or along the east or southwest rift zones. For the foreseeable future, we can assume that active vents will be limited to these areas.

Map of current hazard zones for lava flows on Kilauea.
The flows erupted since 1800 are shown in gray and dated. The map (simplified from map reference below) divides the island into zones that are ranked from 1 through 9 based on the probability of coverage by lava flows (see table of hazard zone descriptions). Twenty-eight percent of the area encompassed by Zones 1 and 2 on the east half of the volcano has been covered by lava since 1955. The major housing subdivisions on the slopes of the volcano are shown in green. More detailed information about lava flow hazard zones on Kilauea can be found in Volcanic and Seismic Hazards on the Island of Hawai`i and the map reference below.

Overview of volcanic hazards on Hawai`i

Wright, T.L., Chu, J.Y., Esposo, J., Heliker, C., Hodge, J., Lockwood, J.P., and Vogt, S.M., 1992, Map showing lava-flow hazard zones, island of Hawaii: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2193, scale 1:250,000.