HILO » Around 50 households in Pahoa may have to evacuate by Tuesday.

Hawaii County officials went door to door to area homes Saturday after lava from Kilauea Volcano cut through its first street early Saturday morning.

They gave notice that residents in the flow path should prepare for a possible evacuation in the next three to five days.

The flow crossed Apaa Street at about 3:50 a.m. Saturday, and since Friday had advanced by 300 yards. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported the flow was moving at about 10 yards an hour and had veered off into a Pahoa cemetery and was heading toward pastureland.

As of 5 p.m. Saturday, the observatory reported the flow was about 100 yards above the cemetery and 175 yards downslope of Apaa Street, with an average width of about 45 yards.

And with the front of the flow about six-tenths of a mile from Pahoa Village Road, many residents were warned by Hawaii County Civil Defense Saturday that an evacuation could be ordered in the next few days.

Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said that the county is ramping up its preparation efforts, including working with the American Red Cross and Sure Foundation for shelters. He also said discussions are underway about relocating students at Pahoa High and Intermediate School.

The county is also weighing when to issue a formal evacuation order.

"We’re watching the flow 24/7 and any change will be factored into our decision," Oliveira said. "If we need to, we will expedite the evacuation notice and order."

He also said Saturday’s event was monumental for the community.

"Now that it’s crossed Apaa Street, it’s the first reality check that it’s coming," he said.

Hawaii island resident Jessica Henry was helping a friend Saturday in Pahoa. She said while the threat of the lava has been evident for several weeks, the fact the lava was about to make its way toward town was still slightly shocking.

"It all feels so unrealistic," she said.

Theresa Zendejas, who lives at the end of Apaa Street, said she’ll be missing out on church Sunday morning in order to pack up the last of her belongings.

"There’s lots of memories here," she said about the house she’s lived in for 24 years. "A lot of stories."

Still, Zendejas tried to maintain a healthy outlook on the situation.

"You just have to be happy that you’re alive and that we live in an amazing place. Sure, we have volcanoes we have to deal with, but guess what? We live on a beautiful island," she said.

Lava is expected to head toward the intersection of Apaa Street and Pahoa Village Road toward Post Office Road.

According to HVO, the flow had advanced rapidly during the past several days following the steepest descent path as it moved downslope. The rapid advance is likely caused by the combination of a slight increase in the lava eruption rate, a concentration of activity at the distal end of the flow and the influence of small-scale topography that caused the flow to narrow considerably.

The flow’s advance rate is likely to continue to fluctuate over the next few weeks, the observatory reports.

Hawai’i Electric Light Co. spokeswoman Rhea Lee said that one of the company’s poles near the old Pahoa Transfer Station was surrounded by lava at about 1 a.m. Saturday, but withstood the heat, thanks to an experimental foundation.

"It’s still holding up right now, but we really need to monitor the situation and see how the pole continues to stand up after the lava inflates," she said.

Meanwhile, Apaa Street and Cemetery Road remain closed to the public while Hawaii County Civil Defense begins around-the-clock operations as the flow activity continues.