Sunday, September 10, 2023

Kaʻū News Briefs, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023

Vog with sulphur gases coming from new eruption at Halema‘uma‘u as seen at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday from Honu‘apo Overlook. By 10 p.m. the air was Unhealthy for Sensitive People in Pāhala. See https://air.doh.hawaii.gov/home/mapPhoto by Bob Martin
From the Uēkahuna overlook on Sunday, the new eruption at the summit of Kīlauea is
 visible. The farthest east fissure is near the margin of downdropped block that formed
during the 2018 summit collapse. The base of the main fissure, which is farthest
 west  (right on the image), is approximately 70 meters wide. USGS photo

A NEW SUMMIT ERUPTION at Kīlauea, with a Warning Alert Level issued by USGS and new vog coming from the Volcano, began on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 10 at about 3:15 p.m. The main fountain, which HVO geologists estimated at approximately 50 meters tall, was on the eastern margin of Halemaʻumaʻu crater. As of approximately 4:30 p.m. HST, the fissures extended
approximately 1350 meters to the northeast, onto the downdropped block that formed during the 2018 summit collapse.
   The eruption also carried with it an increase in sulfur gas emissions, which built slowly after 6 p.m. on Sunday to reach a level at 10 p.m. in Pāhala, measured by the state Department of Health, to be Unhealthy for Sensitive People.
    Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park posted: "Kīlauea began erupting this afternoon, serving as a solemn reminder of the sacredness ingrained in this landscape, symbolizing the presence of the akua, the spiritual forces of Hawaiʻi. 

View of Halema‘uma‘u Crater at 8:38 p.m. Sunday, with its new eruption and increased sulphur gas emissions and made Pāhala
 air Unhealthy for Sensitive People by 10 p.m. See https://air.doh.hawaii.gov/home/map. Image from USGS webcam

The privilege to witness the creative forces of a new eruption comes with a responsibility to approach this place with reverence.
     "We implore all visitors heading to the area to exercise the highest level of respect. While eruptions can spark excitement, it is imperative that observation occurs in silence, allowing the eruption's voice to reach you. Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, who honor the legacy of this land, deserve unreserved respect for their customs."
    The last eruption ended in June without damage to life or property. The 2018 eruption saw lava destroying more than 700 homes in Puna and sending ash fall and poor air quality in all directions.
   With the new eruption, an increase in sulphur in the air began again this Sunday. At 9:15 p.m. Sunday, the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park air quality map showed good air quality at all of its monitors with the emissions going downslope from Halema‘uma‘u, south to the ocean, away from populated areas. However, the vog built up in Pāhala and by 10 p.m. was Unhealthy for Sensitive People. In the coming days, winds are expected to continue to push the vog southwest into Kaʻū. See https://air.doh.hawaii.gov/home/map https://air.doh.hawaii.gov/home/map? See Pāhala air quality graphic at  at fbclid=IwAR30q7ALHZ9D3xLJsFn9OS7t4P3vUiDIBu5t4NXs8jDCdHxA9DXR_q6ddWM. Also see the current Hawai‘i Volcanoes air quality map at https://www.nps.gov/havo/air-quality-alert.htm.

    For lava viewing at Halema‘uma‘u, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is open 24 hours a day.

Fountaining lava fissures of the new eruption inside Halemaʻumaʻu taken by a USGS webcam. See the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory webcam at  https://www.nps.gov/havo/air-quality-alert.htm.

INVASIVE WILDLIFE OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS IS THE AFTER DARK IN THE PARK 
Dr. Steve Hess
presentation this Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. in Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
    Dr. Steven Hess will explain that the terrestrial biota of the Central Pacific is primarily defined by its degree of isolation. "At the center are the Hawaiian Islands, almost 4,000 km (2,480 miles) from the closest continental land mass. Millions of years of evolutionary isolation created beautiful and unique native ecosystems," says the invitation to the event. "However, the Central Pacific islands were suddenly besieged by alien rodents, carnivores, ungulates, reptiles and diseases."
   Hess, research biologist with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, reveals how reversing the devastating effects of alien species has proven to be difficult, but limited successes have resulted in the dramatic recovery of native species. 
    The presentation is one of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park programs and is co-sponsored by the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Free, but park entrance fees apply.


A HOME GAME FOR TROJANS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL is set for Monday evening at Herkes Kaʻū District Gym in Pāhala. The opponent is Kohala. Game time is 5 p.m.


5000 in the mail, 2,500 on the streets.
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