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Volcano Hazards Program

Find U.S. Volcano

There are about 170 potentially active volcanoes in the U.S. The mission of the USGS Volcano Hazards Program is to enhance public safety and minimize social and economic disruption from volcanic unrest and eruption through our National Volcano Early Warning System. We deliver forecasts, warnings, and information about volcano hazards based on a scientific understanding of volcanic behavior.

News

Volcano Watch — (Lava) fountains of knowledge: announcing January 2026 Volcano Awareness Month events on the Island of Hawaiʻi

Volcano Watch — (Lava) fountains of knowledge: announcing January 2026 Volcano Awareness Month events on the Island of Hawaiʻi

Volcano Watch — Tracking the growth of a new puʻu at Kīlauea

Volcano Watch — Tracking the growth of a new puʻu at Kīlauea

Photo & Video Chronology — December 2, 2025 — Kīlauea summit overflight

Photo & Video Chronology — December 2, 2025 — Kīlauea summit overflight

Publications

Gas chemistry and isotope data for volcano monitoring at the Lassen Volcanic Center, Lassen Volcanic National Park Gas chemistry and isotope data for volcano monitoring at the Lassen Volcanic Center, Lassen Volcanic National Park

This report presents chemical and isotopic compositions of volcanic gases collected from thermal areas within Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California from 1974 through 2019. As the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range and designated a very-high-threat volcano by the U.S. Geological Survey, the Lassen Volcanic Center (LVC) requires consistent monitoring to assess...
Authors
Deborah Bergfeld, Jennifer Lewicki, Sara Peek, Andrew Hunt

Near-real-time geochemical monitoring of Hawaiian volcanoes using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) Near-real-time geochemical monitoring of Hawaiian volcanoes using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF)

Syn-eruption geochemical monitoring during volcanic activity is an important component of integrated volcanic monitoring. Volcanoes on the Island of Hawai‘i are primarily monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory using instrumental networks, field surveys, satellite observations, and petrologic monitoring. In collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi at...
Authors
Steven Lundblad, Peter Mills, Kendra Lynn, Elisabeth Gallant, Cheryl Gansecki, Meghann Decker, Drew Downs

Spatio-temporal evolution of distributed volcanic fields, case studies—Sierra Chichinautzin and Michoacán-Guanajuato, México Spatio-temporal evolution of distributed volcanic fields, case studies—Sierra Chichinautzin and Michoacán-Guanajuato, México

An analysis of 1,375 volcanoes in the Michoacán-Guanajuato (1,148 volcanoes in a 26,200 square-kilometer area) and Sierra Chichinautzin (227 volcanoes in a 3,500 square-kilometer area) volcanic fields in central Mexico identified patterns in the spatial and temporal distribution of past eruptions. A cluster agglomerative hierarchical method and kernel analysis confirmed that the...
Authors
Carmen Jaimes-Viera, Amiel Nieto-Torres, Ana Lillian Martin Del Pozzo, Aurelie Germa, Chuck Connor, Michael Ort, Paul Layer, Jeff Benowitz
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