Flow of lava gains velocity in its approach to key roads

The June 27th Kilauea lava flow picked up its pace toward Pahoa on Wednesday, gaining about 3.5 yards an hour.

At the current rate, lava could reach Apaa Road in nine days and Pahoa Village Road in 13 days, according to an afternoon update by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Since Monday, lava has been advancing about 320 yards a day, compared with roughly 235 yards a day the four previous days, the observatory said. A Wednesday morning overflight showed the flow advanced about 350 yards from Tuesday.

By Wednesday afternoon, the flow covered about 10 miles, measured in a straight line from the vent into a forested northwest portion of Kaohe Homesteads, the observatory said.

The flow was headed northeast toward Pahoa Village Road and Highway 130, the main thoroughfare used by about 8,500 residents daily, said Kevin Dayton, Hawaii County spokesman. The lava’s front was about 2.5 miles from Pahoa Village Road and 2.8 miles from Highway 130, he said.

Officials are hoping the flow will slow down when it moves out of a forested area and into a clearing where the ground flattens out, allowing the flow to spread out, Dayton said.

"There is no indication that the flow is going to stop," Dayton said.

Hawaii County officials will hold another community meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Pahoa High School’s cafeteria to address how the lava might affect Puna residents.

Dayton said although the flow was in the corner of Kaohe Homesteads, it was still a threat to the subdivision because a finger of lava could peal off the surface flow and head into the area.

He said the flow was also creating smoke Wednesday that bothered some residents.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory data predicting the possible paths of the lava show the flow heading directly into Pahoa and onto the main highway. But the lava previously veered slightly from the predicted paths, which are based on water drainage. An observatory report said lava flows respond to subtle topographical variations, but generally follow the predictions on a regional scale.

Dayton said county workers expect to finish preparing two roads in about two weeks in case the flow reaches Highway 130. The alternate roads, he said, will be opened to the public if the lava flow affects the highway.