(ABOVE PHOTO) This USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory photo shows a close up of the flow around Cemetery Road /Apaʻa Sreet. In the lower right, the partially buried cemetery can be seen. Just above the center of the photo, lava reached the southeast portion of the transfer station. The house destroyed earlier this week is across the street from the transfer station. The broad lobe of lava upslope of the transfer station was still active on Friday, and moving through thick vegetation, producing smoke.

NEWS BRIEFS

• Several breakouts remain active and continue to advance, including one on the south side of the flow on Apa’a Street which is burning some asphalt.
• Smoke conditions remain moderate to heavy and are blowing towards the Ainaloa, Hawaiian Paradise Park and Keaau areas.

PRIMARY SOURCES

This morning’s assessment shows that several breakouts remain active and continue to advance. The active breakouts are located in the area of the cemetery below Apa’a Street; above Apa’a Street in the area west or upslope of the transfer station; and 200 yards upslope of Apa’a Street. The breakouts currently do not pose an immediate threat to area residents and will be monitored closely. The breakout along the south side of the flow on Apa’a street is widening and burning activity is involving some asphalt road material. All other burning with breakouts is limited to vegetation only.

Smoke conditions remain moderate to heavy with a light south to variable winds blowing the smoke in a north northeast direction towards the Ainaloa, Hawaiian Paradise Park and Keaau areas. Smoke conditions may increase in some areas and residents down wind that may be sensitive or have respiratory problems are advised to take necessary precautions and to remain indoors. Wind patterns for the weekend may continue to present with varying smoke conditions throughout the area.

The evacuation advisory for those residents down slope of the flow will continue and residents will be kept informed of the flow status and advancement.

The Pahoa Village Road between Apa’a Street and the Post Office Road will remain closed and limited to area residents only. Access to the businesses and commercial areas of the Pahoa town can be made through the Pahoa Village Road at the intersection of Highways 130 and 132 and the Post Office Road. We apologize for any inconvenience the road closure may be presenting with and remind everyone that the Pahoa town center and businesses are open and accessible.

Civil Defense and public safety personnel will be operating in the area round the clock to maintain close observations of flow activity.

Additional updates will be broadcasted as conditions change. Hawaii County Civil Defense on Nov. 15 at 7:30 a.m. HST

Kīlauea volcano continues to erupt at its summit and within its East Rift Zone. Lava breakouts remain active and continue to advance in areas behind the leading edge of the June 27th lava flow that stalled on October 30. These active breakouts are below Apaʻa Street in the area of the cemetery, and several areas upslope of Apaʻa Street. Kīlauea’s summit has had slight inflationary tilt over the past day, and the level of the summit lava lake at Halemaʻumaʻu Crater was relatively steady.

June 27th Lava Flow Observations: HVO scientists conducted an overflight Friday to assess the progress of the lava flow. The leading edge of the flow had not advanced beyond where it stalled on October 30, in a residential area approximately 155 meters (170 yards) above Pāhoa Village Road, but breakout activity continued in areas upslope of this leading edge. The closest active lava to Pāhoa Village Road was located approximately 700 meters (0.4 miles) upslope of Pāhoa Village Road, near the Pāhoa cemetery. The flow margin at the transfer station remains stalled, but two tiny surface flows were active near the transfer station fence. The lobe of the lava flow farther upslope of the transfer station remained active, and was approximately 230 meters (250 yards) above Apaʻa Street yesterday afternoon. This lobe has widened over the past two days. Civil Defense reports this morning that this lobe remains active upslope of Apaʻa St. Scattered breakouts persist upslope of Cemetery Rd./Apaʻa St., up to 2.7 km (1.7 miles) upslope of Cemetery Rd./Apaʻa St. In addition, HVO geologists observed an active breakout roughly 5 km (3 miles) downslope from Puʻu ʻŌʻō that was burning a small area of vegetation yesterday.

Puʻu ʻŌʻō Observations: No significant changes were noted near Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Seismic tremor continued with relatively steady amplitude, and webcams revealed no strong variations in the pattern of glow from degassing vents nor the configuration of the crater floor. Recently HVO scientists have observed small incandescent openings in the north, northeast, south, and southeast pits in Puʻu ʻŌʻō’s crater. The tiltmeter at Puʻu ʻŌʻō showed variations related to heavy rain yesterday. The GPS-measured length across the cone has not changed significantly since July. No earthquakes were recorded from the vicinity of Puʻu ʻŌʻō in the past day. The most recent measurement of sulfur dioxide emissions from the East Rift Zone was 320 tonnes per day on October 31, 2014.

Summit Observations: Slight inflationary tilt occurred over the past day. The surface height of the lava lake in the Overlook vent was relatively steady. Volcanic tremor persisted at fluctuating amplitudes based on spattering activity in the lake. Small amounts of particulate material were carried aloft by the plume. Summit emissions of sulfur dioxide were measured at 6,200 tonnes/day on November 5 (see caveat below), but winds did not allow for repeated measurement through the week-long period ending November 11, 2014. An earthquake on Kīlauea’s south flank occurred yesterday at 9:06 pm with an estimated magnitude of 3.5.USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory at 9:19 a.m. HST

This USGS HVO map uses a satellite image acquired in March 2014 (provided by Digital Globe) as a base at 1:13,000 scale to show the area around the front of the June 27th lava flow. The area of the flow as mapped on November 12 and 13, 2014, is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the flow as mapped on November 14, at 1:40 PM is shown in red.