USGS divides Hawaiʻi Island into nine lava-flow hazard zones. Zone 1 has the highest hazard and Zone 9 the lowest. The zones reflect where lava has flowed in the past and how likely it is to flow there again. They are not predictions for a specific date or property.
The nine zones, in USGS terms
- Zone 1: summits and rift zones of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, where vents have been repeatedly active
- Zone 2: areas adjacent to and downslope of active rift zones
- Zone 3: areas less hazardous than Zone 2 because they are farther from recently active vents and/or protected by topography
- Zone 4: all of Hualālai, where eruptions are less frequent than on Kīlauea and Mauna Loa
- Zone 5: an area on Kīlauea currently protected by topography
- Zone 6: two areas on Mauna Loa, both protected by topography
- Zone 7: the younger part of dormant Mauna Kea
- Zone 8: the remaining part of Mauna Kea; only a few percent of it has been covered by lava in the past 10,000 years
- Zone 9: Kohala, which has not erupted in over 60,000 years
Why zones matter when you buy
Insurers and lenders use a parcel's zone. In Zones 1 and 2, private homeowners coverage can be hard to find, and many owners rely on the Hawaii Property Insurance Association (HPIA). USGS notes that zone boundaries are approximate and that hazard generally changes gradually rather than abruptly at a line, so check the zone for the exact parcel and get insurance quotes before you remove contingencies.
Lava zones by area
Share of each area's land in each zone, from intersecting 2020 Census boundaries with the USGS hazard-zone layer:
| Area | Zone shares |
|---|---|
| Kailua-Kona | Zone 4: 100% |
| Keauhou | Zone 4: 100% |
| Hōlualoa | Zone 4: 100% |
| Kealakekua & Captain Cook | Zone 3: 85%, Zone 4: 15% |
| Kona Palisades & Kalaoa | Zone 4: 100% |
| Waikoloa Village | Zone 3: 29%, Zone 8: 71% |
| Kohala Coast | Zone 3: 90%, Zone 8: 10% |
| Waimea (Kamuela) | Zone 8: 82%, Zone 9: 18% |
| North Kohala (Hāwī & Kapaʻau) | Zone 9: 100% |
| Hilo | Zone 3: 98%, Zone 8: 2% |
| Puna | Zone 1: 12%, Zone 2: 27%, Zone 3: 61% |
| Kaʻū & Ocean View | Zone 1: 6%, Zone 2: 94% |
General information only, not legal, insurance or lending advice. Data checked October 22, 2026. Lava zones and climate vary by parcel; verify for any specific property.
Sources
- USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Lava-flow hazard zones, Island of Hawaiʻi: usgs.gov
- USGS Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2193 (Wright et al., 1992), lava-flow hazard zones; GIS layer via Hawaiʻi Statewide GIS Program: pubs.usgs.gov
- Hawaiʻi Statewide GIS Program, Volcano Hazard Zones layer: geodata.hawaii.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb 2020 Census Designated Places and County Subdivisions (boundaries used to define each area): tigerweb.geo.census.gov
- Hawaii Property Insurance Association: hpiainfo.com