Images

This small-scale map shows the June 27th flow in Kīlauea's East Rift Zone as of September 8, 2014. The area of the flow on September 6 is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the flow as mapped on September 8 at ~12:45 PM is shown in red.

The June 27th flow continues its advance toward the north, creating a dense smoke plume as it spreads through the forest. The tip of the active flow today was 13.7 km (8.5 miles) straight-line distance from the vent, and 1.2 km (0.7 miles) from the eastern boundary of the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve.

Several small breakouts persist along the middle part of the June 27th flow, closer to Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō. Most of these breakouts are burning trees as well, as seen in this photo. The flow front is in the distance, at upper left, and the closer smoke plumes are from these other breakouts.

This shaded-relief map, courtesy of the Carnegie Airborne Observatory, shows some of the cracks, faults, and grabens (down-dropped blocks between adjacent faults; http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/glossary/?term=graben) that are present in Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, and which have partly controlled t

This view shows the active flow front from behind. The lava feeding the flow emerges from a crack parallel to the road at lower right, which goes to the True/Mid-Pacific geothermal well site. Kaohe Homesteads is to the right, Pāhoa is at the upper right, and Ainaloa and Hawaiian Paradise Park are at upper left.

This large-scale map shows the distal part of the June 27th flow in relation to nearby Puna communities. The area of the flow on September 6 at ~11:10 AM is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the flow as mapped on September 8 at ~12:45 PM is shown in red. The black dots mark the flow front on specific dates.

San Francisco Mountain (peak on the left) viewed from Mount Elden to the southeast, near Flagstaff, Arizona.

Preview image for video: gives a quick aerial overview of activity at the flow front.

Lava flow (June 27) advancing northeast across ground surface after exiting ground crack system along Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō, Hawai‘i. Smoke from burning trees, Kahoe Homesteads in foreground.

This small-scale map shows the June 27th flow in Kīlauea's East Rift Zone as of September 6, 2014. The area of the flow on September 3 is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the flow as mapped on September 6 at ~11:10 AM is shown in red.

Another view of the flow front, looking west. Lava issued from several spots along a deep ground crack earlier this week, as shown by the distinct fingers of lava making up the flow front.

This thermal image looks west at the June 27th flow front. The active tip of the flow is at the right side of the image, moving north. Lava issued from several spots along a deep ground crack, which has been traced with the dotted line in the left portion of the image.

Lava was filling another ground crack near the flow front, as indicated by a line of steam that extended a short distance west of the flow tip. At two spots along this ground crack we observed small pads of lava near the surface.

This shaded-relief map, courtesy of the Carnegie Airborne Observatory, shows some of the cracks, faults, and grabens (down-dropped blocks between adjacent faults; http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/glossary/?term=graben) that are present in Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, and which are partly controlling t

Following a reduction in surface activity yesterday, we observed an increase in surface flows today issuing from the ground crack. The reduction yesterday was likely due to lava filling the deep ground cracks. The flow front today was moving towards the north from the ground crack, through thick forest, creating a dense plume of smoke.

A wide view of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, looking northwest. Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Crater, on Kīlauea's East Rift Zone, is the large fuming crater just to the left of the image center.

This large-scale map shows the distal part of the June 27th flow in relation to nearby Puna communities. The area of the flow on September 3 is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the flow as mapped on September 6 at ~11:10 AM is shown in red. The black dots mark the flow front on specific dates.

Breakouts remain scattered along the June 27th lava flow, and are not just limited to the flow front. Here surface flows have recently cut a swath through thick forest.

Large-scale map showing the distal part of the June 27th flow in relation to nearby Puna communities. Flow advancement is illustrated with black dots which show the flow front on specific dates.

Small-scale map showing the June 27th flow in Kīlauea's East Rift Zone as of September 4, 2014. Lava on the surface at 1 PM, outlined in red, was 13.3 km (8.3 miles) from the vent and 1.2 km (0.7 miles) from the east boundary of the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve. The front of the flow was spilling into another crack, which was steaming.

This shaded-relief map, courtesy of the Carnegie Airborne Observatory, shows some of the cracks and faults that are present in Kīlauea's East Rift Zone. The June 27th flow is partly transparent and shown in pink, while the active surface lava at 1 PM on September 4 are outlined in red.