PAHOA, HAWAII » Gov. David Ige on Thursday met with civil defense officials, stopped by area schools, and visited the Pahoa Recycling and Transfer Station where the public may view a cooling lava flow.

He also paid a visit to the Pahoa Marketplace, where a grocery store that employs 83 people was wrapping up its last day before shuttering the business as the approaching lava flow could reach the shopping area and its intersection with Highway 130 on Christmas Eve.

Ige described the community as being "upbeat" as it contends with ongoing threats tied to the so-called June 27 lava flow.

"It’s very encouraging to see the community come together," he said.

In recent months, state entities such as the Department of Health, Department of Education and National Guard have played a role in assisting the Hawaii island community, Ige said, adding that the state will continue to be attentive to the Pahoa area.

"If they need something from the state, we’ll be ready," Ige said. "We will push to get whatever maximum assistance we can get."

As for his plans for providing funds to the Puna District in this upcoming legislative session, Ige said his visit to area schools improved his understanding of some of the area’s issues.

"I did have an opportunity to meet with education leaders of both public and charter schools and talk about challenges they encountered this school year," he said. "We will definitely be going back and seeing and ensuring that we can provide the best type of learning opportunity and environment for them."

Advancing about 165 yards since Wednesday, the lava was 0.8 miles from the Pahoa Marketplace area on Thursday. Lava is now moving at a slower pace than last week.

"What is likely causing the slowdown in the flow advance is the flatter topography and breakouts a bit upslope robbing some of the supply from the flow front," said Janet Babb, a geologist with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

A helicopter overflight of the flow Thursday showed the front of the flow consists of two closely spaced fingers, both heading to the Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road intersection, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The flow front widened Tuesday and took a slight turn to the north, but is still expected to follow the steepest-descent path to the intersection of Pahoa Village Road and Highway 130 near the marketplace, geologists said.

The observatory issued a volcanic activity notice on Tuesday night, warning that the flow had been moving at an average rate of 310 yards a day since Dec. 9 and that the steepest-descent path leads to the Pahoa Marketplace.

Hawaii County Civil Defense said Thursday it’s too early to tell if there’s been a slowdown in the flow’s overall advancement rate as it continues toward the marketplace.

While the county had not yet put the marketplace businesses on an evacuation notice, many of the stores were already preparing for the worst-case scenario, said Hawaii County Civil Defense Chief Darryl Oliveira.

Since the lava breakout emerged from the main flow near an underground crack system last month, the lava’s advancement rate has varied from about 110 yards a day to more than 490 yards a day, averaging 330 yards a day.

"It’s possible the lava could turn east and continue on a path to the area of the marketplace. We’re watching it closely," Oliveira said.