Lava activity far upslope could be causing breakouts in the vicinity of Apaa Street from the June 27 lava flow to remain at a standstill Tuesday, officials say.
Numerous surface breakouts and flows located about 6 miles above Apaa Street remain active, Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said during an 11:30 a.m. press conference. The closest area of lava activity to Pahoa was observed about 5 miles upslope of Apaa Street — near the start of the crack system — where a breakout of lava was showing signs of ponding.
That breakout, which primarily remains on the existing June 27 lava flow pad, is about 10 yards wide and stretches about 30 to 40 yards, he said.
“It’s not advancing in any way, not moving and not posing any kind of threat,” Oliveira said.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the halt in activity in the immediate area of Apaa Street was likely the result of a large breakout from the lava tube at Kahaualea, a small forested puu located about 1.1 mile below Kilauea Volcano’s Puu Oo vent, that affected the supply of lava to the tube downslope.
The breakout occurred Friday night as Kilauea appeared to return to the inflation period of the inflation-deflation cycle. Inflation begins when magma rises into the summit reservoir.
“It could have been just an increase in volume provided and that disrupted the tube system, so, it broke out higher and that robbed the supply of the lava going down through the lower part of the tube system,” said Janet Babb, a geologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
Babb added the tube system near Apaa Street could be reoccupied by lava despite the current lull. If the downslope system is reoccupied, lava could reach the flow front that has been stalled about 480 feet mauka of Pahoa Village Road since Oct. 30.
In an afternoon statement, the observatory said a breakout from the middle of the crack system was observed about 7 miles downslope of Puu Oo indicating that lava remains active in the tube system that far downslope. The distance between Puu Oo and Apaa Street is about 12 to 13 miles.
The breakouts located near the cemetery below Apaa Street, the Pahoa Transfer Station and 200 yards upslope of Apaa Street continued Tuesday to show very little activity and no sign of advancing toward Pahoa. All three breakouts have been stalled since Sunday.
“It’s unknown at this time as to what may change as to the behavior or flow activity. It’s still possible that the flow could regenerate … or reoccupy the tube system and then have the lava transported down to the flow front. It’s in a wait and see and watch and monitor very closely over the next several days to see if there’s any transport of lava through the tube system bringing it closer to the flow front,” Oliveira summarized.
Smoke conditions are reported as light. Light trade winds are blowing the smoke in a south-southwest direction. Smoke conditions could increase in some areas and residents downwind that may be sensitive or have respiratory problems are advised to take necessary precautions and to remain indoors.
Residents in the flow path remain on an evacuation advisory, according to Civil Defense.
Pahoa Village Road reopened last week in both directions after being closed for about three weeks. However, the section of the roadway between Apaa Street and Post Office Road remains restricted to area residents only. Access to the businesses and commercial areas of Pahoa can be made via Pahoa Village Road at the intersection of highways 130 and 132 and Post Office Road.
Civil Defense and public safety personnel will be operating in the area round the clock to maintain close observations of flow activity.
Highway 130 remains open. The lava flow remains just under a half-mile from the state highway. Beach Road is open to traffic. Railroad Avenue remains closed as it traditionally has been.
Work on re-establishing Chain of Craters Road, which would be the only means of accessing Lower Puna should the flow cross Highway 130, continues. It should be complete in early December.
State Highways officials on Tuesday continued to test aggregate material placed Nov. 7 where lava had crossed Apaa Street, Oliveira said. The testing will provide information that could allow roadways, such as Pahoa Village Road or Highway 130, to be reopened should lava cross either thoroughfare.
“The aggregate temperature tests so far are nonconclusive,” he said, noting officials are currently reviewing the measurements with scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.