Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists determined Monday afternoon that lava was no longer moving through the tube system below a breakout located 3.5 miles above Apaa Street.
Mike Poland, a geophysicist with the observatory, said Tuesday that the finding was made following a thermal survey of the flow conducted during an overflight. The thermal images, he said, found no particularly hot spots between the stalled flow front, which is located about 480 feet mauka of Pahoa Village Road, and the active breakout located several miles upslope of Apaa Street in Pahoa.
“That’s an indication to us that the distal portion of the flow, below the current active stuff were seeing 3.5 miles above Apaa Street, is dying off and cooling,” he said. “But, it doesn’t mean the tube could not be reoccupied by lava because it does still exist.”
The breakouts extending from about 3.5 miles to 5 miles above Apaa Street are beginning to widen the June 27 lava flow field as they continue to advance downslope toward Apaa Street, however, the observatory said late Monday. The flow field now varies between 275 yards and 380 yards in width, according to the observatory, which noted the widening is occurring primarily on the northern edge of the original flow.
The nearest breakout, which traveled 150 yards between Sunday morning and Monday morning, is currently located 3.5 miles above the roadway in a crack system located near an abandoned geothermal well site.
Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Darryl Oliveira said shortly after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday that officials were awaiting the return of crews aboard an overflight of the flow that was delayed earlier in the day because of weather conditions.
None of the breakouts or surface flows currently pose an immediate threat to area communities, Civil Defense said.
“We’re not expecting anything significant as far as any change but we will let you know,” Oliveira said.
An evacuation notice for those living in the immediate threat of the flow has been lifted, Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Darryl Oliveira confirmed Monday. While residents are no longer on notice, he urged that residents remain vigilant.
“We want them to remain vigilant to a possible evacuation,” he said. “At this point there is no activity that would present itself to keep people on a heightened notice for evacuation.”
Oliveira said Tuesday the county is also continuing to meet with area stakeholders about opening a public viewing and educational site near the Pahoa Transfer Station on Apaa Street.
Breakouts in the vicinity of Apaa Street that stalled earlier this month remain at a standstill, as does the June 27 lava flow’s leading edge, which has not advanced since Oct. 30 when it came within 480 feet of Pahoa Village Road.
Scientists have said the halt is 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 as Kilauea appeared to return to the inflation period of the inflation-deflation cycle. Inflation begins when magma rises into the summit reservoir.