Lava flow sparks brush fire

PAHOA – The Hawai’i County Fire Department was managing a lava-fueled brush fire this week near the stalled flow front on the edge of the town of Pahoa. The fire covered about 60 hectares.

According to a Hawai’i County Civil Defence update, the brush fire ignited west of Highway 130 but neither the brush fire nor the stalled lava flow posed an immediate threat to area communities.

The flow front and its south margin breakout area have been stalled since last week about a kilometre from the intersection of Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road.

However, surface activity and widening was noted about 300 metre upslope of that area.

Meanwhile, two breakouts about 2km upslope of the stalled flow front had moved about 20 metres since Monday.

Before the lava flow slowed and stalled, it was on course to reach the highway’s intersection with Pahoa Village Road and nearby Pahoa Marketplace during the Christmas holiday.

In response, several businesses in the lower Puna area, including a gas station, grocery store and a a pharmacy, shut down operations as a precaution.

Since the Kilauea Volcano lava reached the Pahoa area in October, it has crossed a street, flowed into a Buddhist cemetery, destroyed multiple structures, burned a house and penetrated the fence line of the Pahoa Recycling and Transfer Station.- Star Advertiser