Madame Pele is belching an unusual northeast lava flow on Hawaii island that already has forced the closure of two forest reserves and has scientists on alert for potential damage to homes just 2 miles away.

The flow — which has branched off in two directions — currently poses no threat, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. But it could slowly engulf homes in lava-fueled flames "in weeks to months if lava continues to advance," the USGS said.

The Kaohe Homestead subdivision lies in a direct path about 2 miles away from the closest branch of the flow, which was oozing into a crack into the ground on Friday, said Darryl Oliveira, the Hawaii island Civil Defense administrator.

It’s unclear how many homes and people are in the subdivision’s large, agricultural lots, Oliveira said. But officials hope to get more details following community meetings about the lava flow to be held 6:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the Pahoa Community Center.

Oliveira emphasized that the flow "is not imposing any immediate threat to the subdivision."

And its path could be diverted or halted by any number of factors, he said, including topography and the possibility that the flow could change directions, pool or "a second finger punches out to the side."

But Oliveira recalled a 2011 lava flow that slowly destroyed a house in Kalapana when he was the Hawaii island fire chief.

"From the perspective of the property owner, it can be very painful because you’re watching your life savings go up in flames very slowly," Oliveira said.

Researchers from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Friday flew over the so-called "June 27th lava flow" — which was named after the date it began erupting — and reported that its front was 6.6 miles northeast of its vent on the flank of Pu‘u ‘O‘o on Kilauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone.

The northern branch was traveling northeast across relatively flat land. The southern branch was flowing into a ground crack.

Based on the steam emanating from the ground crack, scientists estimate the lava had traveled just under a mile in the last four days and was 2.4 miles from the eastern boundary of the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve.

Most of the lava that has flowed since the East Rift Zone erupted in January 1983 has traveled south and reached the ocean about 75 percent of the time, according to the USGS.

But lava from the June 27th lava flow has headed northeast. The only other flows recorded in that direction occurred from 1983 to 1986; for four months in 2007; and over the past 19 months, according to the USGS.

Currently the June 27th lava flow is traveling through forests within the Kahauale‘a Natural Area Reserve and the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve, which have both been closed because of the danger to hikers.

Scientists will continue to monitor the flow through flights, satellites and webcams, according to the USGS.

The flow can be tracked at http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php.

Links on the website also provide photos and maps.