USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientists visited the V1cam livestream camera site on the morning of August 29 for some maintenance work.

A close-up view of tiny volcanic glass fragments on a leather glove. These particles are abundant around the western rim of Kīlauea summit caldera, an area that is closed to the public due to hazardous conditions. Volcanic glass fragments can cause irritation to eyes, lungs, and skin, and exposure should be avoided. USGS scientists working in the closed area, with permission from Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, wear special personal protective equipment to minimize their exposure to these particles. USGS photo by L. DeSmither on August 29, 2025.

A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist empties water and volcanic glass particles from a tephra collection bucket on the western rim of Halema'uma'u. The buckets are used to collect tephra from the eruption episodes for geochemical analyses. Strong winds around the crater rim can resuspend older tephra, pele's hair, and volcanic glass, which fall back into the buckets. Scientists empty the buckets between eruptive episodes to try and make sure there's no contamination of materials from older episodes. USGS photo by L. DeSmither on August 29, 2025.