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HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
Lava breakouts have mostly diminished above Pahoa. The largest and most active breakout was the one nearest Kahaualea.
Lava breakouts near the stalled fronts of the flow above Pahoa on the Big Island "have waned considerably and might no longer be active," Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists said in an update Friday morning.
A small breakout on the south margin of the flow had moved to about a half-mile mauka of Pahoa Marketplace but has shown no activity in the last two days. According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, webcams monitoring the area did not detect any incandescence between Thursday and Friday.
A breakout west of Kaohe Homesteads also showed no surface lava activity.
"Very little activity was noted from the stalled flow front extending approximately 5 miles upslope," Hawaii County Civil Defense officials said after flying over the flow Friday morning.
Civil Defense personnel were unable to perform a complete survey of the area due to poor visibility.
Meanwhile, lava is active farther upslope near the Puu Oo vent.
A breakout near the forested cone of Kahaualea has been active over the last four days about 1.2 miles northeast of Puu Oo.
An aerial observation Thursday found that another breakout that began Feb. 21 on the north flank of Puu Oo has begun to make its own lava tube, scientists said.
The lava activity poses no immediate threat to Pahoa, Civil Defense said.
The northern tip of the flow remains stalled about 550 yards from Highway 130 in an area west of the Pahoa police and fire stations, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.
