PAHOA, Hawaii » Pahoa residents enjoyed a bit of temporary relief Wednesday when the leading edge of the lava flow heading toward the area’s main highway and marketplace stalled.

"Looks like the community will have a quiet New Year’s holiday," said Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Darryl Oliveira.

Since late June, the lava flow has traveled more than 13 miles from Kilauea Volcano and is now situated about a half-mile upslope of the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection and about 660 yards from the Pahoa Marketplace complex.

The flow has advanced about 165 yards since Dec. 27, volcano scientists said.

While even a short reprieve is good news, Oliveira warned that the flow is still very active.

Burning continued Wednesday along the perimeter and surface of the flow and 150 to 200 yards behind the flow front, which had advanced anywhere between 50 and 70 yards since Tuesday.

In addition, many small breakouts were active along the length of the flow up to about 2 miles upslope from the front as well as about 2 miles downslope from the Puu Oo vent, the lava flow’s starting place, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists.

Also, a brush fire that ignited Tuesday had been contained by Wednesday, Civil Defense officials said.

Residents are not yet under an immediate threat.

"Everything is very sluggish at this point. We’re just having to wait and see and watch," Oliveira said.

Smoke conditions were light to moderate Wednesday morning with a light variable wind.

As Pahoa residents mark the start of the new year, the Hawaii island community’s sense of resilience appears to be holding steady, Oliveira said.

Less than two months after the lava flow began its slow slide, Tropical Storm Iselle made landfall in the Puna District on Aug. 8, ripping off roofs, knocking down hundreds of trees, and touching off flooding, coastal evacuations and prolonged electrical power disruptions. Many residents contending with damage to their homes were disappointed when individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was denied.

"And then here comes the lava flow that triggers a moratorium on new insurance policies — combine that with the fact that the community has a very high percentage rate of unemployment," Oliveira said.

The lava threat has also prompted the state Department of Education to relocate many students and teachers, several businesses to shut their doors shortly before Christmas, and the county and state to funnel millions of dollars into road repairs on alternative access routes in and out of the area.

But Oliveira maintains that if any community can handle the stress of a hurricane followed by a lava threat and then another hurricane, it’s the residents of Puna. Hurricane Ana threatened the area in October but never made landfall, instead brushing by more than 100 miles south of the state.

"Yet when you walk through the community faced with all that adversity, there’s still a very strong resilient attitude," Oliveira said. "We’re here to stay and we’re going to make the best of it."