The leading edge of the June 27 lava flow remains stalled, Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said Tuesday.
“Right now, the leading edge, or most downslope edge of the flow, remains at 0.6 miles from the (Pahoa Village Road-Highway 130) intersection and just over 700 yards from the property boundary behind the Pahoa Marketplace complex,” he said during an 11:30 a.m. press conference.
During a period spanning from about 6:30 a.m. into the afternoon Monday, the flow front advanced just 20 yards, he said. The U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the flow had not advanced since about 4:30 p.m.
“It was slowing creeping. The leading edge was already hardening yesterday (Monday) afternoon, you could actually walk right up to it, it wasn’t burning any material or anything,” Oliveira said.
The closest breakout to the now-stalled flow front was about 300 yards upslope, he said. That breakout is located on the south side of the flow.
“It wasn’t something that you could see a definite movement forward this morning,” Oliveira said about the breakout’s activity.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Monday said one or more of the other active lobes located immediately behind the flow front could overtake the stalled front in the coming hours to days. The stalled front could also resume its trek toward Pahoa.
“It’s possible (that the breakout could become the new flow front), as we’ve seen with other breakouts and stalls in the original flow is that other breakouts can become the new flow front,” Oliveira said. “It is possible.”
Other breakouts also remained active along the flow extending to about 2.5 miles upslope of the flow front, as well as near the Puu Oo vent. The breakouts, for the most part, are located on the northern margin and surface of the flow pad.
“This flow is still very, very active as evidenced by the breakouts that are occurring just immediately upslope of the stalled flow front and the breakouts that are occurring up in the crack system and also just downslope of Puu Oo,” said Steve Brantley, HVO’s acting scientist-in-charge.
He said the main indicator that would suggest the flow is “dying off” would be an absence of lava in the tube system below the crack system, however, that is difficult to ascertain because of few skylights in the tube. Other indicators would be a slowing of the breakouts, as well as the cessation or absence of inflation features along the length of the flow.
“At this point, there are many breakouts and there is inflation occurring along the flow, so, it is still a very active flow — only the very tip of the flow has stalled at this point,” Brantley said, noting that inflation is difficult to see but is likely occurring just upslope of the stalled front.
Smoke conditions were reported as light Tuesday morning with a variable winds blowing the smoke in a south-southeast direction. Smoke conditions may increase in some areas and individuals who may be sensitive or have respiratory problems are advised to take necessary precautions and to remain indoors.
Public access for lava viewing at the Pahoa Transfer Station continues between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The transfer station access will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day.