Minor changes at Puu Oo lead to lava breakout

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists have seen minor changes at the Puu Oo vent in the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano, including inflation, over the last few days.

A breakout of lava Thursday night sent a flow 500 yards toward the north of Puu Oo, HVO geologist Matt Patrick said Friday.

With inflation comes “pulses of lava going through the lava tubes, and short-lived breakouts and lava blowing out of the roof of the tube,” he said.

The breakouts are on the existing flow field and have not expanded the flow significantly, Patrick said.

“These breakouts can be quite vigorous, but the key is they’re relatively small on the scale of the flow field,” he said.

Over the last month there were five cycles of inflation-deflation, but the last one was a little more pronounced.

The flow is inaccessible to the public by trail, but tour helicopters fly over the area.

The vent is near the edge of the national park in the Kahaualea Natural Area Reserve, which has been closed to the public since 2007 because of the ongoing lava flow.

Patrick said the breakout appeared to be waning Friday morning but that it’s too early to say whether the lava will create a new lobe.

“Occasionally breakouts can create a new lobe on the flow field,” he said.

Kilauea Volcano remains active and is on an alert level of “watch.” There is no imminent threat to residents. The watch was increased to a warning in 2014 when lava approached residents in Kaohe Homesteads and Pahoa.

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Star-Advertiser staff