(ABOVE PHOTO) View from above the middle part of the June 27th flow looking south at a small breakout that is burning forest along the previously existing flow margin. Heiheiahulu cone is in the upper left. (USGS HVO on Sept. 12)

PUNA, Hawaii – The advance of the lava has slowed and is now moving in more of a northward direction, scientists say, but the flow remains active.

Here is the Sunday morning update from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory:

A Civil Defense overflight this morning observed that the flow front was moving in a more northward direction over the past day, which is a slight shift from its previous northeast direction. The flow had traveled roughly 270 m (300 yards) since Friday, suggesting that the flow advance rate may have slowed over the past several days. The flow front remains close to the boundary of the Wao Kele o Puna forest reserve and Kaohe Homesteads. The flow front is still in thick forest, creating smoke plumes as it engulfs trees and other vegetation, but fires are not spreading away from the flow. The most recent HVO overflight was Friday afternoon. The flow front at that time was 14.9 km (9.3 miles) from the vent, measured in a straight line, and 170 m (0.1 miles) from the Forest Reserve/Kaohe Homesteads boundary. The actual length of the flow, measured along the lava tube axis (so that bends in the flow are considered) was 17.1 km (10.6 miles). Between September 10 and 12 the advance rate was approximately 250 meters (270 yards) per day. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Sept. 14

Hawaii County Civil Defense issued this audio alert following their Sunday morning assessment:



https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/eruption-update-9-14-14-0800am.mp3