In January 2026, to mark Volcano Awareness Month, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff will offer a series of programs to talk about eruptions and earthquakes in Hawai’i, how they are monitored, and hazards associated with the events. The programs will be aided by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, and the County of Hawaiʻi Civil Defence Agency.
Each Tuesday in January, HVO staff will be in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. HVO geologists, field engineers, and hazards specialists will offer informal talk story sessions. Guests will also be able to visit the Whitney Vault near Volcano House, where they can learn about the original volcano monitoring devices that were housed there and how the technology has changed over time. Additional guided walks in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will be offered at Haʻakulamanu on January 16 and Devastation trail on January 19.
Kīlauea lava fountaining episodes over the past year have occurred within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and have been visible from overlooks around Kaluapele (Kīlauea summit caldera). While the eruption has been fascinating for scientists and viewers alike, it also demonstrates that eruptions can have far-reaching effects.
Lava flows have been contained within the caldera, and larger particles that fall out from the lava fountains (called tephra which include Pele’s hair) have blanketed the areas immediately downwind of the eruptive vents. These areas are extremely hazardous and remain closed to the public. Smaller particles from the fountains, including ash and Pele’s hair, as well as volcanic gas emissions, are transported downwind and have affected communities in the district of Kaʻū and farther.
In the District of Kaʻū, where vog and volcanic ash from Kīlauea’s recent eruptive episodes have affected communities, HVO will host talk story sessions at the Pāhala and Nāʻālehu Public Libraries on January 14 and 21, respectively. The Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park will offer a presentation of Kīlauea eruption updates on January 17.
On January 24, visitors can learn about the impacts of the November 29, 1975, magnitude-7.7 earthquake and tsunami at the Kahuku Unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in the morning, and then attend the County of Hawaii Civil Defence Agency’s disaster preparation fair at Ocean View in the afternoon.
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park will also host Stewardship at the Summit Rainforest Restoration, where volunteers can help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in the park. The program will take place on January 3, 17, 24, and 31. Gloves and tools will be provided, and volunteers should meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center parking lot on the dates above.
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