June 2, 2016 Active Southeast Flow
The recent eruption near the Pu’u ‘O’o vent continues with numerous skylights, a great deal of surface lava on the southeastern flow front, and remarkably, lava returning to the north forest and the adjacent flow field, apparently re-occupying the tube system that has been in place there for several years. Lava to the north and northeast was mostly underground in the tubes, but the southeast flow had several fantastic surface flows, one stretching about a half mile in the center of the flow field. A skylight above that long flow revealed a tremendous amount of lava rushing past, feeding flows downslope. Neither the north nor the southeast flows appear to have advanced much… mostly just spreading out. The southeastern flow is the better part of a mile long now… the northern somewhat shorter than that. Surface lava on both flows seems to wax and wane from day to day, hour to hour. In addition, the perched pond that was so very active last Sunday, has completely ceased any activity. We were unable to access the Pu’u ‘O’o vent, due to its heavy plume and steam from recent rainfall. this new activity continues to reduce even further the threat to communities to the north and east. Leilani the Hula Girl and Lava Ducky were on board, along with special guest, Doug Locke. Bruce Omori and I enjoyed flying with Paradise Helicopters’ outstanding pilot, Ryan Moeller. All activity remains over two miles away from the closest infrastructure, and is not threatening any communities at this time.
Mahalo to Paradise Helicopters and Bruce Omori at Extreme Exposure