Hawai‘i Volcano Overflight: Puʻu ʻŌʻō Celebrates 35th Birthday With ‘Extreme Activity’
For the first time in two months, at the end of December 2017, the Paradise Helicopters’ crew was able to access the lava lake at Puʻu ʻŌʻō
Puʻu ʻŌʻō is a volcanic cone in the eastern rift zone of Kīlauea Volcano. Puʻu ʻŌʻō has been erupting continuously since Jan. 3, 1983, making it the longest-lived rift-zone eruption of the last two centuries.
The crew of Paradise Helicopters conducted an overflight on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, the day after Puʻu ʻŌʻō’s 35th birthday.
“Under wonderfully colorful skies, the lava lake at the Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent was extremely active this morning,” said Mick Kalber, Tropical Visions Video photographer and videographer.
Numerous fantastic ropey pahoehoe flows were discovered within a mile of the vent, he said.
“You will be amazed at the volume of lava pouring down the side of an old a‘a flow!” said Kalber.
No other surface activity was visible directly on or below the Pali.