The past year the lava has been pretty remote and retained to one general area. However, a few months ago, a new breakout occurred on the flanks of Pu’u O’o. This time, instead of flowing downhill towards the ocean, the lava headed north and a little towards the east. Last week, USGS personnel met with County officials to explain current hazards in anticipation of the current flow.
As of now, the lava continues to move at a steady pace towards the upper region of Pahoa. If the flow continues, some homesteads may be in jeopardy. When last checked on August 27, the lava broke out into the forest about two miles from the closest house. However, lava, like most natural phenomena, is unpredictable.
So what does this mean for public access? Currently, there’s quite a bit of surface lava that can be seen from a helicopter. Hiking to the lava is still off limits, but this could change soon. There’s also no lava flowing into the ocean at this time.
Hawaii Volcano Observatory, County of Hawaii, and other organizations are closely monitoring this breakout. For more information about the current lava conditions, visit Hawaii Volcano Observatory.
