UPDATE: New Puʻu ʻŌʻō Breakouts

***Updated at 5:55 p.m. with information from Hawai’i County Civil Defense.***

Hawai’i County Civil Defense said Thursday afternoon that it is monitoring the flow closely, along with HVO. Residents and businesses downslope of the flow will be updated with the latest on the flow’s movement.

Smoke conditions were reported as “very light” with light variable winds, according to Civil Defense. It is not expected to impact residents, but a glow from the lava is expected to be visible to those in the area.

***Original story posted at 3:08 p.m.***

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists have released images of two new breakouts that began at Puʻu ʻŌʻō Tuesday morning.

Scientists at HVO say that at about 6:50 a.m., the two lava flows broke out from flanks of the cone.

One of the breakouts originated on the northeast flank at the site of the vent for the ongoing June 27, 2014 flow. This is the larger breakout of the pair and is about 0.15 miles from the rim of the cone.

The second breakout is on the east flank of the cone, about 0.3 miles from the rim of the cone, heading in a southeast direction. HVO says this flow is in the area of the “Peace Day” flow that broke out in September 2011.

HVO says the first breakout fed a vigorous channelized flow that extended about 0.6 miles. Neither flow had extended beyond the existing Puʻu ʻŌʻō flow field, as of 8:30 a.m., when observed during an HVO overflight.

According to HVO, typical of new breakouts, the initial flow activity has been vigorous, but neither flow is currently threatening any nearby communities.

“The floor of Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater has subsided slightly with the new flow activity. Persistent glow from spatter cones within the crater continues,” read an HVO update.

A wider view of the larger breakout traveling down the north flank of Puʻu ʻŌʻō, towards the northwest. USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory photo.

Two new breakouts at Puʻu ʻŌʻō began this morning just before 7 a.m. USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory photo.

Another breakout occurred just east of Puʻu ʻŌʻō, about 500 m (0.3 miles) from the crater, in the area of the “Peace Day” flow that broke out in September 2011. USGS/Hawaiian Volcano Observatory photo.