Hawaii County map shows the location of the flow front as of 7 a.m. Friday.

UPDATE (10:45 a.m.) – The Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation wishes to notify the public that effective Friday, June 1, 2018, the eruption evacuation shelters at the Kea’au Community Center and the Sure Foundation Church are being consolidated and relocated. The new location for the consolidated shelters will be at the Kea’au Armory, in the back of the Herbert Shipman Park, off of Highway 11, the county says.

(BIVN) – Residents in Vacationland, Kapoho Beach Lots and in areas near Highway 137 are advised to evacuate now, emergency officials say, as lava is “moving quickly” towards the Four Corners intersection.

At 9 a.m. Friday, Hawaii County Civil Defense said Fissure 8 remains very active and is “producing a large, fast-moving flow. The flow front is half-a-mile above the Four Corners area, and moving quickly. At the present rate, it is possible the lava flow may cross Government Beach Road near Four Corners within 7 to 10 hours.”

Due to the rapid lava flow, civil defense says the following policies are in effect for the Four Corners area:

• Residents in Vacationland, Kapoho Beach Lots and in areas near Highway 137 are advised to evacuate now.
• Traffic is flowing both ways to allow evacuation.
• Residents should complete evacuation by 2:00 this afternoon, or risk the possibility of being isolated.
• Shelters at the Pahoa Community Center, Keaau Community Center, and Sure Foundation Church are open. The shelters are pet friendly.

Hawaii County Civil Defense added that due to the ongoing Kilauea volcanic hazard, the county will not be participating in the monthly siren test. No sirens will sound on Hawaii Island today.

Yesterday, Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim announced the enacting of “Emergency Rule #1”, restricting access to the Kapoho area. The rule states:

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Hawai’i Revised Statutes Sections 127A-12(a)(5)(D), 127A -12(c)(12), 127A -12(c)(14), and 127A-25, I hereby promulgate the following rule to restrict access to the area containing Kapoho Beach Lots, Vacationland, and Kapoho Farm Lots (hereinafter the “Area”), which is bordered by Kaphoho-Kumukahi Lighthouse Road, Kapoho Kai Road, Kalapana Kapoho Beach Road (Highway 137), and the ocean, and which is also shown as the area marked on the map attached hereto. This restriction is necessary due to the presently ongoing and active volcanic eruption, which has cut off normal water service to the Area and left the Area with restricted or limited water service.

A.) Access to the Area will be limited to:

1. Residents (verified owners of real property within the area or verified lessees of real property or structures thereon within the area with a minimum of a six-month lease) with no guests or visitors;

2. County, State, or Federal governmental employees and verified governmental contractors;

3. Employees and volunteers for the following types of non-governmental organizations:
(a) Utility providers;
(b) Recognized humanitarian/disaster response and recovery entities;
(c) Area businesses and non -profits engaged by County, State, or Federal government response or recovery operations; and
(d) Other non-governmental organizations as approved or requested by the County, State, or Federal governments;

B.) Access to the Area will be controlled by existing roadblocks, checkpoints, and/or posts which are staffed by County, State, or Federal governmental employees on roads leading into the area. Persons seeking access to the Area through said roadblocks, checkpoints, and/or posts shall comply with the requests or orders of the governmental employees staffing these roadblocks, checkpoints, and/or posts, including but not limited to having all documents, identification, and other information necessary to verify that the persons are permitted to enter the Area ready to present to said governmental employees for verification, and presenting such identification, documentation, and/or other information to the governmental employees. If conditions in or around the Area become too hazardous for governmental employees to staff the roadblocks, checkpoints, and/or posts, then access to the Area shall be closed to all persons and any signs at said roadblocks, checkpoints, and/or posts notifying the public that the Area is closed shall be obeyed.

C.) Pursuant to Hawai’i Revised Statutes Section 127A-29, any person violating this Rule shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

D.) This Rule shall be effective immediately, upon publication of this Rule, and shall continue throughout the present emergency caused by the ongoing active volcanic eruption or until sooner terminated by my Order.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the County of Hawaii to be affixed. Done this 30th day of May, 2018 in Hilo, Hawail.

Harry Kim
Mayor
County of Hawai’i