Pause at front of flow spares Pahoa Marketplace for now

PAHOA, HAWAII » Lava from Kilauea Volcano has stalled — again providing a reprieve to beleaguered Pahoa residents who last week feared it would reach the area’s most vital shopping center by Christmas.

The leading tip of the active flow that had been progressing toward the Pahoa Marketplace stopped advancing Tuesday, remaining about 0.6 mile upslope from the intersection of Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road, said Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Darryl Oli­veira.

That was welcome news for businesses in the center that are opting to remain open.

"Based on today’s information, I’m sure they have great relief knowing they can move forward for the next few days. Unless we see a change in the flow advancement and behavior, they can conduct business right up to the holidays and beyond," Oli­veira said.

On Thursday, Malama Market, a grocery in the marketplace that employs 83 people, was shuttered, along with the Malama Mart Gas N Go. Two days later Longs Drugs closed and relocated about 50 employees to other Longs stores.

Among other businesses and services that shut down Saturday: an eye doctor, a tire company and a medical clinic.

The June 27 flow has been threatening Pahoa town, which has a population of about 900, for months. In October it burned a house and covered part of a cemetery but stalled just before reaching Pahoa’s main road.

Tuesday’s stall may be short-lived.

The flow is still "very, very active," said Steve Brantley, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory active scientist-in-charge.

"The main indicator that would suggest this particular flow is dying off or perhaps coming to a complete stalling would be the absence of lava in the lava tube below the crack system. That’s very difficult to ascertain because there aren’t a series of skylights in the tube. One of the things we’d be looking for would be the slowing down of breakouts along the entire flow margin. Only the very tip of the flow has stalled at this point," he said.

Oliveira said it is possible that some of the breakouts farther upslope could become the new flow front.

Civil Defense officials said the lava does not pose an immediate threat to area residents.

Meanwhile, Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi has invited President Barack Obama to view the lava.

Obama and his family are spending their vacation in a rental home on Oahu.

Spokesman Kevin Dayton said Kenoi extended the invitation last week during a meeting held in Pahoa to update residents about the lava flow. There was no immediate comment from the White House on whether Obama will take him up on the offer.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.