Kilauea has been erupting, in one form or another, for the better part of a million years. The 2018 Lower East Rift Zone eruption buried 716 homes and destroyed the community of Lanipuna Gardens. USGS divides the Big Island into nine lava hazard zones — and those zones determine whether you can get insurance, at what price, and what a parcel is worth.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Hawaii Volcano Observatory classifies all of Hawaii Island into nine lava flow hazard zones, numbered 1 through 9 from highest to lowest risk. The classification is based on the percentage of land covered by lava in the past 750 to 10,000 years, proximity to active rift zones, and elevation relative to likely flow paths.
Only Hawaii Island has these designations. The other Hawaiian islands have no active volcanoes, so lava zones do not apply to Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, or Lanai.
| Zone | Risk | Description | % covered by historical lava |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | Highest | Summit and rift zones of Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Active eruptive vents. Essentially uninhabitable for permanent structures. | >25% |
| Zone 2 | Very high | Immediately adjacent to Zone 1 rift zones. Includes Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens — areas heavily impacted in 2018. Very limited insurance available. | 15–25% |
| Zone 3 | High | Not on active rift zones but lava reached these areas within the past century. Much of the lower Puna district. | ~15% |
| Zone 4 | Elevated | Includes much of Kau district and some Puna uplands. Historical flows less frequent but eruptions from Mauna Loa can reach here. | ~15% |
| Zone 5 | Moderate | Central Puna and parts of South Kona. Low-frequency lava, but possible paths from Mauna Loa. | <5% |
| Zone 6 | Moderate | North Kona and portions of Kohala. Eruptions from Hualalai could reach, but last major activity was 1801. | <1% |
| Zone 7 | Low | Mauna Kea region and far North Kohala. Mauna Kea is dormant. Volcanic activity in historic times unlikely. | <1% |
| Zone 8 | Very low | Highly dissected terrain — deep valleys and sea cliffs that would deflect or stop most flows. Hamakua coast. | None in recorded history |
| Zone 9 | Lowest | Areas largely protected by topography. No lava coverage in geologic record. | None |
In May 2018, Kilauea's Lower East Rift Zone opened 24 fissures across residential neighborhoods that had been built in Lava Zones 1, 2, and 3. Over 35 days, fast-moving lava flows destroyed 716 homes across Leilani Estates, Lanipuna Gardens, and Vacationland. The flows also consumed Highway 130 and added approximately 875 acres of new land to the Big Island coastline as lava entered the ocean.
The neighborhoods that were destroyed had been zoned for residential use and sold at prices that reflected — in theory — the lava risk. In practice, many buyers either did not understand the zone designations or discounted them significantly. After 2018, Zone 1 and 2 property values dropped sharply and insurance became nearly impossible to obtain.
Most admitted insurance carriers will not write homeowners policies in Zones 1 or 2. Zone 3 is increasingly difficult. Standard policies exclude volcanic eruption damage; you need a specific lava endorsement or surplus lines coverage. The Hawaii Property Insurance Association (HPIA) is the insurer of last resort for properties rejected by the standard market. Premiums in Zone 2 through HPIA can exceed $10,000 per year for modest homes.
The relationship between zone designation and price is significant but not always rational. General patterns observed in Hawaii County assessor data and MLS records:
Hawaii County does not prohibit construction in Zones 1 or 2, but it does require that buyers of subdivided lots in these zones sign a disclosure acknowledging the lava hazard. Septic system permits in high-risk zones require additional documentation. Some lenders will not finance construction loans in Zones 1–3 regardless of disclosure.
USGS publishes the lava zone map, but overlaying it on a specific TMK requires GIS tools. Hawaii County's online property search shows the lava zone designation as part of each parcel record. ʻĀina Atlas shows the lava zone directly on the parcel detail for any Big Island property — tap any parcel to see zone designation, description, and what it means for insurance and development.
ʻĀina Atlas shows lava zone, flood zone, zoning classification, and assessed value for every TMK on Hawaii Island. Free for your first five parcels.
Open the mapSee also: Hawaii Flood Zones · TMK Lookup Guide · Zoning Codes Explained