Lava flow creeps north, no threat to Puna homes

COURTESY HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY
Lava poured from several spots along a deep ground crack last week. The thick smoke plumes show the front was moving downslope toward the north Saturday morning.

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Hawaii County Civil Defense continued to monitor Kilauea’s June 27 lava flow as it continued to move slowly north.

As of 10 a.m. Sunday, the Civil Defense reported the flow from Kilauea’s East Rift Zone had advanced approximately 200 yards since Saturday.

Civil Defense said it was about 0.8 mile southwest or upslope of the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve boundary and moving parallel to the boundary.

Currently the lava flow doesn’t pose an imminent threat to area residents.

Officials remind the public the flow cannot be accessed and is not visible from any public areas.

Civil Defense said little vegetation is burning and there is no wildfire threat.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the flow continues to move through a thick forest, creating smoke plumes.

"Steaming also continued in cracks around the flow front, suggesting lava continues to move beneath the surface," the observatory said Sunday. Small breakouts remain active closer to Puu Oo, about midway along the length of the flow that began June 27.

The observatory elevated the eruption alert level to an eruption warning Thursday due to the flow’s proximity to the Kaohe Homestead subdivision. The warning prompted Hawaii County Mayor Bill Kenoi to issue an emergency declaration.

Meanwhile, the level of the lava lake inside Halemaumau Crater has fluctuated recently due to spattering and gas release, and was roughly 180 feet below the Overlook crater rim Sunday morning.