PUNA, Hawaii – The leading tip of the June 27th lava flow may be stalled, but breakouts persist upslope. On Monday, one of those breakouts had advanced a short distance towards the north, reaching one of the fire break roads.

Feb. 23, 2015 (USGS) – The leading tip of the June 27th lava flow remains stalled, but breakouts persist upslope of the stalled tip. Today, one of these breakouts (marked by the arrow) had advanced a short distance towards the north, reaching one of the fire break roads.

The breakout along the north margin of the stalled flow tip is roughly 1.6 km (1 mile) upslope of Highway 130, scientists say.

Videographer Mick Kalber captured video of this breakout during a Paradise Helicopters overflight today. In addition, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory documented the breakout with photos and thermal imaging.

Feb. 23, 2015 (USGS) – This comparison of a normal photograph and a thermal image shows the position of active breakouts relative to the inactive flow tip. The white box shows the rough extent of the thermal image on the right. In the thermal image, active breakouts are visible as white and yellow areas. Although active breakouts are absent at the inactive tip of the flow, breakouts are present roughly 450 m (490 yards) behind the tip, and are also scattered further upslope.

The scientists also mapped the flow front, showing the advance of the north margin breakout.

Feb. 23, 2015 (USGS) Map of distal flow field

A significant breakout has also been reported far upslope near Pu’u O’o. It remains to be seen how this will affect the flow front. We will have video of that breakout with information from USGS shortly.

THE LATEST: June 27 lava flow archive

Feb. 23, 2015 (Mick Kalber) Lava reaches fire break road.