USGS overflight photo shows slow-moving breakouts near the flow front on Dec. 30

NEWS BRIEFS

• There is very little activity at the flow front and no advancement since yesterday. The active breakout along the south margin the flow has not advanced since yesterday afternoon.

MEDIA

This morning’s Civil Defense message:

INSIGHTS

A lava breakout about one mile upslope from the stalled flow front got the attention of videographer Mick Kalber during a Friday morning overflight with Paradise Helicopters. “That lobe is extremely active,” Kalber noted, “burning the forest on the northern edge of the flow.” Kalber’s video can be seen above.

PRIMARY SOURCES

This morning’s assessment shows very little activity continues at the flow front and no advancement since yesterday. The front or leading edge remains .5 miles upslope of the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection and approximately 660 yards from the Pahoa Market Place complex. The breakout along the south margin or side of the flow remains active however has not advanced since yesterday afternoon. This breakout remains upslope or approximately 150 yards behind the flow front. Surface breakouts and activity along both margins continues upslope however, current activity does not pose an immediate threat to area communities. Civil Defense and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory personnel are maintaining close observations of the flow. Residents and businesses down slope will be kept informed of any changes in flow activity, advancement, and status.

Smoke conditions were moderate this morning with a light north west wind blowing the smoke in a south/southeast direction over the Pahoa and lower Puna areas.

The public access lava viewing at the Pahoa Transfer Station is open for normal viewing access today and will continue .

The public is reminded that the viewing area opens at 8:00am and closes promptly at 6:00pm.

On behalf of the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency and our partners we would like to thank everyone for your assistance and cooperation. Hawaii County Civil Defense on Dec. 2 at 9:21 a.m. HST

Kīlauea Volcano continues to erupt at its summit and within its East Rift Zone. According to Civil Defense, this morning’s assessment showed little activity at the flow front and no advancement since yesterday. The breakout along the south margin of the flow, located about 140 m (150 yards) up slope of the front, has not advanced since yesterday. There have been only minor fluctuations in ground tilt over the past day at both the summit and at Puʻu ʻŌʻō.

June 27th Lava Flow Observations: This morning, Civil Defense reports little activity at the flow front and no advancement since yesterday. The breakout along the south margin of the flow and 140 m (150 yards) up slope of the flow front has not advanced since yesterday. The flow front remains approximately 800 m (0.5 miles or 880 yards) from the intersection of Highway 130 and Pāhoa Village Road, and about 530 m (580 yards) up slope of the Pāhoa Marketplace. HVO webcam images show burning vegetation from surface breakouts up slope of the flow front. The next HVO over flight is scheduled for next week, weather permitting.

Puʻu ʻŌʻō Observations: Over the last 24 hours, only minor fluctuations in tilt were recorded at Puʻu ʻŌʻō. All monitoring data indicate no significant changes at Puʻu ʻŌʻō. The most recent measurement of sulfur dioxide emissions from all East Rift Zone vents was about 250 tonnes per day on December 19, 2014.

Summit Observations: Only minor changes in ground tilt have been recorded at the summit over the last day. The summit lava lake has shown the usual fluctuations associated with changes in spattering behavior, which are also manifested as variations in tremor amplitudes and gas release. Small amounts of particulate material were carried aloft by the plume. The average emission rate of sulfur dioxide was around 6,000 tonnes/day for the week ending on December 3USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Dec. 2 at 9:21 a.m. HST