June 27 Lava Flow Update – 12/18/14

Hawai’i County Civil Defense’s Thursday morning assessment shows that the June 27 lava flow remains active and has advanced about 165 yards since Wednesday.

At the current time, the flow is 0.8 miles upslope from the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection. Flow activity does not pose an immediate threat to area communities. Close observation of the flow is ongoing and both residents and businesses in the area will continue to be kept informed of any changes in flow activity.

Hawaii Volcano Observatory said Thursday that in observing Civil Defense photos from its morning overflight, the front consists of two closely spaced fingers. Both of these fingers are headed towards the area of the Pahoa Marketplace.

Officials say that the leading flow front is not the only active flow area that is being watched. The breakouts from the lava tube on Dec. 5 remain active. Currently, those lobes are about 1.6 miles from Puʻu ʻŌʻō.

HVO officials said that on Wednesday, two time lapse web cameras were installed in the Pahoa Marketplace area, one of which is on the Marketplace itself and the other faced towards the upslope area that lava is traveling from.

Businesses in the Pahoa Marketplace have already began taking necessary steps to prepare for the possibility of an evacuation. Many shops have already shut down while many others are currently preparing to in the coming days. Malama Market, the area’s only grocery store, will close its doors Thursday evening at 6 p.m.

Motorists driving in the area near the Pahoa Marketplace are advised to use extra caution and to be prepared for the possibility of increased traffic and large trucks.

Civil Defense reported moderate smoke conditions Thursday morning and said that a light trade wind is blowing smoke in a south southeast direction. As usual, these smoke conditions have the possibility of increasing. Individuals who have a history of respiratory issues are advised to take necessary precautions and to stay indoors.

The public can access the images from the HVO cameras by visiting the HVO website and looking under the heading of Webcams/East Rift Zone.