(ABOVE VIDEO) This morning’s Civil Defense Lava Flow Map – Updated Sunday, Dec. 7 at 7 a.m.

NEWS BRIEFS

• The lava flow front remains active “with burning along the edges and some widening” however very little forward advancement according to observations made today by Hawaii County Civil Defense. The active flow front remains approximately 2.4 miles upslope of the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection.

PRIMARY SOURCES

This morning’s assessment shows that the flow front remains active with burning along the edges and some widening however very little forward advancement. The active flow front remains approximately 2.4 miles upslope of the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection. Current activity does not pose an immediate threat to area communities and Civil Defense and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory personnel are maintaining close observations of flow activity. Residents down slope will be kept informed of any changes in flow activity, advancement, and status.

Smoke conditions were moderate this morning in the immediate area with a light north wind blowing the smoke in a south southeast direction. Smoke conditions may increase in some areas and residents that may be sensitive or have respiratory problems are advised to take precautions and to remain indoors.

The Pahoa Village Road remains open to all traffic and motorists are advised to exercise caution as some utility pole protection material remains in place. Everyone is asked to please respect the residents of the area who were affected by the lava flow and to not trespass on private property.

Once again we would like to thank everyone for your patience and understanding and your cooperation and assistance is greatly appreciated. Hawaii County Civil Defense on Dec. 7 at 8 a.m. HST

(INSET) Civil Defense Lava Flow Map – Updated Sunday, Dec. 7 at 7 a.m.

Kīlauea Volcano continues to erupt at its summit and within its East Rift Zone. A narrow lobe of lava west of the flow field below the crack system remains active but advanced little since yesterday. The leading edge of this lobe is approximately 3.9 km (2.4 miles) above the intersection of Pāhoa Village Road and Highway 130, near the Pahoa Marketplace. There was no significant change in activity at the summit.

June 27th Lava Flow Observations: HVO is monitoring a narrow flow lobe that branches off the west edge of the flow field below the crack system. A Civil Defense overflight this morning found that flow had widened but had advanced very little since yesterday. The leading edge of the flow is still about 3.9 km (2.4 mi) upslope from the intersection of Pāhoa Village Road and Highway 130, near the Pahoa Marketplace. The front of the flow is in area where several lines of steepest descent nearly converge due to flat topography and is probably the main factor in the decline of the advance rate. Until the flow passes this area of flat topography, the future flow path is uncertain.

Puʻu ʻŌʻō Observations: There was weak deflation at Puʻu ʻŌʻō over the past 24 hours. All other monitoring data indicate no significant changes at Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Seismic tremor is low and steady, and webcams revealed no strong variations in the pattern of glow from degassing vents or the configuration of the crater floor. GPS-measured deformation across the cone has shown neither extension nor contraction since July. The most recent measurement of sulfur dioxide emissions from the East Rift Zone was about 250 tonnes per day on November 26, 2014.

Summit Observations: There was no significant ground tilt at the summit since midday yesterday. The summit lava lake showed the usual fluctuations associated with changes in spattering behavior, which are also manifested as variations in tremor amplitudes. Small amounts of particulate material were carried aloft by the plume. The average emission rate of sulfur dioxide was 4,300 tonnes/day for the week ending on December 2USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Dec. 7 at 10:47 a.m. HST