Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association

ALT Photo of red layers of lava and red ash. A small green fern is growing from the ashy layer. This photo looks west along the south rim of Pu‘u‘ō‘ō. Red ash from the collapses during 2018 fills depressions in the lava flows, allowing moss and small ferns to grow. Green vegetation such as this was not observed by geologists near the rim during the 1983-2018 eruption, presumably due to high gas concentrations. USGS photo taken October 23, 2024, by M. Patrick.

ALT Photo of gray lava and red ash on the surface. A small green fern and moss are growing from the ashy layer. View of moss and ferns along the rim of Pu‘u‘ō‘ō, on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone. The red ash originates from collapses within the crater during 2018. USGS photo taken October 23, 2024, by M. Patrick.

ALT A webcam sits atop a tripod on a bed of black lava. Instruments to fix the camera are nearby in a yellow waterproof bag. The R3cam is a webcam on the east flank of Pu‘u‘ō‘ō, and it monitors areas downrift of Pu‘u‘ō‘ō. USGS geologists visited the site on October 23, 2024 to dry out the camera enclosure and add new desiccant. USGS photo by M. Patrick.