Kaʻū News Briefs Monday, June 4, 2018

Lava continues to take out homes, fishponds, the reef at Kapoho. Image from Ikaika Marzo/Big Island Video News

LAVA POURS INTO KAPOHO BAY AS IT DESTROYS MORE FARMS, HOMES, AND BEACH HOUSES. At 6 p.m., Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense reported that lava "is filling in Kapoho Bay. The ocean entry is sending a large laze plume into the air along the coastline." In addition to homes and farms, the lava is taking out walled fishponds, a snorkeling area, the reef, and tidepools.
     Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported today on vigorous lava eruptions continuing on the East Rift Zone. Fissure 8 in the Leailani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens area is very active, fountaining and producing a large channelized flow down to Kapoho Bay, as well as burning, crushing, and paving more inland homes, farms, and wildlife areas.

Overflight photograph at approximately 6:13 a.m. this morning shows the
 lava flow originating from Fissure 8 entering Kapoho Bay. The ocean entry 
began yesterday evening. USGS photo

     HVO reported at 5:30 p.m., "As of late afternoon the lava entry into Kapoho Bay had built a delta extending approximately 700 yards into the bay. A laze plume is blowing inland from the ocean entry but dissipating quickly. The lava flow front is about 600 yards wide. A lava breakout was also occurring upslope of the Kapoho cone cinder pit but stalled about 300 yards southeast of the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Cinder Road.
     "Pele's hair and other lightweight volcanic glass from high fountaining of Fissure 8 are falling downwind of the fissure and accumulating on the ground within Leilani Estates. Winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances. Residents are urged to minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation similar to volcanic ash." 

See video from the helicopter overflight on June 4,showing lava inundating 
Kapoho Bay. USGS Video

     HVO field crews are on site tracking the fountains, lava flows, and spattering from multiple fissures as conditions allow, and are reporting information to Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense. See the most recent map of lava flows.
     The area covered by lava reached about 20 square kilometers, equaling 5,000 acres, HVO reported.
     Civil Defense director Talmadge Magno said there are about 500 houses in Kapoho Beach Lots and Vacationland, and that most of the impact so far is on the Beach Lots. Before the lava flowed into Kapoho Beach Lots, he said, 117 houses were taken out in the mauka farms lands alone. One man who lost his home in the area said, "I've always thought of myself as a tenant of Pele."

See more video from the helicopter overflight on June 4,
showing lava inundating Kapoho Bay. USGS Video

     An eruption community information meeting will be held at the Pāhoa High School cafeteria tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5, at p.m.

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EARTHQUAKES, ASH, AND UNPREDICTABILITY prevent reopening of the most popular areas of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, as it approaches the fourth week of closure of two-thirds of the park.

     A record number of earthquakes, some of them damaging, corrosive volcanic ash, and continuing explosions from Halema‘uma‘u, the summit crater of Kīlauea Volcano, are keeping the park closed, said a statement issued from Hawaiʻi Volcanoes today.

The arch at the bottom of Chain of Craters Road is cracked on its mauka side. It is one of the many popular
attractions at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park that are off limits until seismicity and explosive eruptions
decline, and the park facilities deemed safe for the public. NPS photo

     “We understand and commiserate with our community and visitors about the prolonged closure, but we cannot provide safe access to the Kīlauea section of the park as long as these very unpredictable dangers threaten the safety of park staff and visitors,” said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. “Unlike lava, which you can see coming and avoid, we cannot see or predict earthquakes, nor can we foresee a summit explosion, but both threats continue,” she said.

Ash and a crack in the popular plaza that overlooks Halemaʻumaʻu
 Crater outside Jaggar Museum. NPS Photo

     What is visible throughout the park is ash and earthquake damage, states the release. Layers of acidic volcanic ash coat picnic tables, roads, and overlooks, and ash has caused poor visibility on Highway 11, creating dangerous driving conditions at times. Hundreds of shallow earthquakes beneath the summit of Kīlauea have damaged at least three park buildings, fractured park roads, and snapped water lines. On Sunday, June 3, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake rattled the summit area at 3:50 p.m., cracking the overlook deck at Jaggar Museum. Over the weekend, the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported more than 500 earthquakes in a 24-hour period – the most ever measured by HVO scientists.

     In addition, the park remains without running water. Newly formed earth cracks observed near Hōlei Sea Arch on a recent overflight concern park officials. Crater Rim Drive and Hilina Pali Road near Kulanaokuaiki Campground are impassable in places.

     Although USGS aerial footage last week revealed that the former eruption site (unofficially called the “overlook vent”) within Halema‘uma‘u appears to be plugged with rock and other volcanic debris, explosions and resulting ash fall continue. The vent expanded from about 12 acres to more than 100 acres in May, following the ongoing explosions and collapses.

     “Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell when we can reopen the Kīlauea section of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. We’ll only reopen when it is safe to do so, and we will need time to assess, make repairs and clean up,” the Superintendent said. “In the meantime, we ask for your understanding and support.”

The waterline into the Kīlauea unit of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
is under repair, after earthquakes. NPS Photo

     Although two-thirds of the park has been closed since May 11, everyone is invited to visit the park’s Kahuku Unit, located an hour south of the main entrance on Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5. The Kahuku Unit is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but can be impacted by poor air quality depending on wind direction. Park rangers are also serving visitors and the community at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in downtown Hilo, Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and starting Mon., June 4, will be on site at the Volcano Art Center’s Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rangers are also at the Hilo Airport most days, and at the Naniloa Hotel Sundays and Mondays to answer questions about the park and current eruption conditions.

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KĪLAUEA SUMMIT EARTHQUAKE ACTIVITY HAS BEEN LOW SINCE the explosive eruption on Sunday, but is slowly increasing, reported Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in its 6 p.m. update.
"Inward slumping of the rim and walls of Halemaʻumaʻu continues in response to persistent subsidence. We expect that earthquake rates may increase in the coming hours to days and culminate in another small explosion, following the pattern of the past few weeks."
     At 10:14 p.m. Monday, 3.4 and 3.7 magnitude earthquakes shook the summit and sent up ash, with trace amounts expected to drift as far as Pāhala.

Many cracks will require much repair of roads within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
NPS Photo 

     HVO reported that over the last week, "sulfur dioxide passively degassing from the volcano's summit has decreased, but emission rates remain high enough to impact air quality in downwind regions. Additional bursts of gas released with intermittent explosive activity are also transported downwind and may temporarily affect air quality as well." For forecasts of where ash would fall under forecast wind conditions, consult the Ash3D model.

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DESPITE PREDICTIONS OF ASHFALL in Pāhala and farther into Kaʻū, the air remained good for S02 for most of yesterday and today. Ocean View and Volcano air were also without S02 problems today. As of 8:30 p.m., Ocean View and Kona were rated unhealthy for sensitive groups in the measurement of particulates. Pāhala was rated moderate.

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MEETINGS ON ASH AND SO2 WILL BE HELD at Cooper Center in Volcano Village on Thursday, June 7 at 7 p.m. The location is at 19-4030 Wright Road. An Ocean View meeting will be held on Thursday, June 14, at 5:30 p.m. The location is at Ocean View Community Center, 92-8924 Leilani Circle, Ocean View. The meetings will bring together health, science, and Civil Defense officials to meet with the public.

Halemaʻumaʻu Overlook Vent, wide angle, from Hawaiian Volcanoes 

Observatory Observation Tower, June 4, 4:42 p.m. USGS photo

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CITIZEN SCIENCE IS WANTED TO HELP STUDY ASH from Kīlauea Volcano, said David Danby, who works with USGS, specializing in ash and vog emissions and impacts. He gave a presentation at last Wednesday's meeting of health, science, and Civil Defense officials in Pāhala.

     "What we do when you experience ash fall is try to collect it, and take it back to the lab to analyze it and see what kind of danger it poses to the community," said Danby. "This usually takes two different paths. The first is to see whether or not there is material you can breathe in. Because not everything that comes out the summit and deposits here in the community is respirable, something that you can breath in." In the lab, the scientists determines whether the ash presents any respiratory hazards.

Volcanic ash covers Highway 11 near Namakani-Pio Campground, about
4 miles east of Volcano Village. Photo by Rachel Baker

     When ashfall begins, he said, as quickly as possible, USGS wants to analyze what sort of impact the ash can have in the environments and on water supplies. "When ash is erupted and gets deposited in the environment or in water, it can release elements, like dissolving salt in water. When it does that, it can change the chemistry of whatever it falls on, the soil, crops, drinking water."

     He said the USGS analysis attempts "to make sure we can provide appropriate advice in terms of covering water supplies. Working on best practices in agriculture, including protecting livestock health, is another goal."

     Inviting the public to collect ash samples, said that "Citizen science is a big part of what we do. Would love Kaʻū residents to collect ash samples." He said there is a platform for collecting and volunteers can go online to learn more. He said citizens can help by "You collecting a sample of ash on a clean service and passing it our way and we will analyze it and get all the information to share back with the community."

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See public Ka‘ū events, meetings, entertainment. 

See Ka‘ū exercise, meditation, daily, and weekly events. 

Print edition of The Ka‘ū Calendar is free to 5,500 mailboxes 

throughout Ka‘ū, from Miloli‘i through Volcano, and free on 

stands throughout the district. Read online at kaucalendar.com 
and facebook.com/kaucalendar.

TUESDAY, JUNE 5

Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Tue/Wed, Jun 5 (Committees)/6 (Council), Hilo. Mon/Tue, Jun 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund Volunteer Clean-Up w/Hawai‘i Outdoor Institute, Tue, Jun 5, contact in advance for meet up time at Wai‘ōhinu Park. Space limited. Free; donations appreciated. kahakai.cleanups@gmail.com, wildhawaii.org

Discovery Harbour Volunteer Fire Dept. Meeting, Tue, Jun 5, 4-6pm, Jun 19, 4:30-6:30pm, Discovery Harbour Community Hall. 929-9576, discoveryharbour.net

Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Meeting, Tue, Jun 5, 6-8pm, Pāhala Community Center.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
Hawai‘i County Council Meetings, Wed, Jun 6 (Council), Hilo. Mon/Tue, Jun 18 (Committees)/19 (Council), Kona. Ka‘ū residents can participate via videoconferencing at Nā‘ālehu State Office Building. Agendas at hawaiicounty.gov

AdvoCATS, Wed, Jun 6, 7-5pm, Ocean View Community Center. Free Cat Spay & Neuter Clinic. 895-9283, advocatshawaii.org

THURSDAY, JUNE 7
Veteran's Center, Thu, Jun 7, 8:30-12:30pm, Jun 21, 8:30-11:30am, Ocean View Community Center. VA benefits and individual counseling services. Matthew, 329-0574, ovcahi.org

Ocean View Neighborhood Watch Meeting, Thu, Jun 7, 6-7pm, Ocean View Community Center. 939-7033, ovcahi.org

SATURDAY, JUNE 9

Pancake Breakfast & Raffle, Sat, Jun 9, 8-11am, Ocean View Community Center. To volunteer, call 939-7033, ovcahi.org

Stained Glass Basics II, Sat & Sun, Jun 9 & 10, 9-noon, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. Prerequisite: Stained Glass Basics I. $90/VAC Member, $100/non-Member, plus $30 supply fee. Register in advance. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

Hi‘iaka & Pele, Sat, Jun 9, 9:30-11:30am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Discover Hawaiian goddesses and the natural phenomena they represent on this free, moderate, one-mile walk. nps.gov/HAVO

Kāwā Volunteer Day, Sat, Jun 9, 9:30am, Kāwā. Sign up with James Akau, Nā Mamo o Kāwā, at namamookawa@gmail.com, jakau@nmok.org, or 561-9111. nmok.org

Zentangle: Stacks and Dangle Designs for a Dr. Seuss-Inspired Whimsical Garden, Sat, Jun 9, 10-1pm, $30/VAC Member, $35/non-Member, $10 supply fee. Basic knowledge of Zentangle recommended by not required. Register at volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222.

CANCELLED: Jazz in the Forest Concert, Sat, Jun 9. The July concert is also cancelled. 967-8222, volcanoartcenter.org

SUNDAY, JUNE 10

Stained Glass Basics II, Sun, Jun 10, 9-noon, Volcano Art Center's Niʻaulani Campus, Hale Hoʻomana at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road. Prerequisite: Stained Glass Basics I. $90/VAC Member, $100/non-Member, plus $30 supply fee. Register in advance. volcanoartcenter.org, 967-8222

‘Ōhi‘a Lehua, Sun, Jun 10 & 24, 9:30-11am, Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Learn about vital role of ‘ōhi‘a lehua in native Hawaiian forests, and many forms of ‘ōhi‘a tree and its flower on this free, easy, one-mile walk. Free. nps.gov/HAVO

Meet Candidate Raina Whiting, candidate for state Rep., Dist. 3. Sun, June 10, 2-3:30pm, Punaluʻu Bake Shop, upper pavilion. Bring prepared, written questions for the candidate. Light refreshments provided. Questions? Ezmerelda5@gmail.com, mgw1955@gmail.com, voteRaina.com

NEW & UPCOMING

NĀ MAMO O KĀWĀ HOSTS A VOLUNTEER DAY AT KĀWĀ on Saturday, June 9, starting at 9:30 a.m. For more information, visit nmok.org. To sign up, contact James Akau by calling 561-9111 or jakau@nmok.org.

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ONGOING
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program will take sign-ups in Kaʻū, through Jun 29 (closed Jun 11).
     In Nā’ālehu, it will take place at the Hawai‘i County Economic Opportunity Council office, back of Senior Center, Wed-Fri, 8-1pm, 929-9263.
     In Ocean View, it will take place at Ocean View Community Center, Mon and Tue, 8-1pm.
     In Pāhala, it will take place at the Edmund Olson Trust Office, Tue and Wed, 8:30-12:30pm. See more for eligibility requirements and application.

Libraries Rock Summer Reading Program: Hawai‘i State Public Library System, through Jul 14, statewide & online. Register and log reading at librarieshawaii.beanstack.org or at a local library. Free. Reading rewards, activities, and programs for children, teens, & adults. 2018 participants have a chance to win a Roundtrip for four to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies.

Park Rangers invite the public to downtown Hilo to learn about the volcanic activity, to get their NPS Passport Book stamped, and to experience the Hawaiian cultural connection to volcanoes. Rangers are providing programs at the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center at 76 Kamehameha Avenue, Tuesday through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

     Two Park Rangers are stationed at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in downtown Hilo, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., every Sunday and Monday, in the Willie K Crown Room - as long as nothing else is scheduled in the space. The rangers will be doing daily talks at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. about the eruption. They will show the park film that is normally available to visitors to see at the Kilauea Visitor’s Center at the Summit, Born of Fire, Born in the Sea, every half-hour beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Sign Up for the Nāʻālehu Independence Day Parade, to be held June 30. If interested, call Debra McIntosh at 929-9872.

Tūtū and Me Offers Home Visits to those with keiki zero to five years old: home visits to aid with helpful parenting tips and strategies, educational resources, and a compassionate listening ear. Home visits are free, last 1.5 hours, two to four times a month, for a total of 12 visits, and snacks are provided. For info and to register, call Linda Bong 464-9634.

St. Jude's Episcopal Church Calls For More Volunteers for the Saturday community outreach. Especially needed are cooks for the soup served to those in need, and organizers for the hot showers. "Volunteering for St. Jude's Saturday Shower and Soup ministry is an opportunity to serve God in a powerful way," states St. Jude's April newsletter. Volunteer by contacting Dave Breskin at 319-8333.

Volcano Forest Runs Registration Open through Friday, August 17, at 6 p.m. Half marathon $85, 10K $45, 5K $30. Registration increases August 1: half marathon to $95, 10K to $55, and 5K to $35. Race is run from Cooper Center on Wright Road in Volcano Village on Saturday, August 18.

5th annual Ka‘ū Coffee Trail Run registration open. Race day Sat, Sept 22, 7 a.m.; begins and ends at Ka‘ū Coffee Mill. Register online before Mon, July 9: 5K, $25/person; 10K, $35/person; and 1/2 Marathon, $45/person. From July 9 to Aug 11: $30/person, $40/person, and $45/person, respectively. From Aug 13 to Sept 20: $35/person, $45/person, and $55/person. Race day registration ends Sat, Sept 22, at 6:30 a.m. Event organizers, ‘O Ka‘ū Kākou; start location, Ka‘ū Coffee Mill.

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