It’s been exactly a month since the first lava started emerging from fissures in Leilani Estates on May 3. And what a month it’s been.

The Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption has built in intensity by stages. Earthquakes, cracks, fissures, toxic gasses, spattering lava, larger and longer lava flows, and increasingly voluminous fountains have slowly engulfed two subdivisions and the forests and fields of lower Puna. They’ve heaped up acres of spatter ramparts, thick lava flows, overflowing ponds and rivers creeping down to the ocean. They’ve emitted a’a and pahoehoe, spatter and lava bombs, Pele’s Hair and Pele’s Tears, tephra/pyroclasts and cinders, vog, laze, and glowing blue flames.
Kīlauea Message Thu, 31 May 2018 14:10:42 HST: As of last night, area covered by lava from Kīlauea LERZ eruption equal to 5.5 square miles (3534 acres). Highest temperature from F8 measured today, 2039 F (1115 C).
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) June 1, 2018
Meanwhile, Pu’u O’o on Kilauea’s shoulder drained and died after a historic 35-year-long eruption. The summit lava lake in Halema’uma’u Crater followed suit, draining away more gradually but no less dramatically, with rockfalls and earthquakes and clouds of ash rising as high as 15,000 feet. Downwind communities are suffering from its ash and vog. The threat of steam explosions sending rocks flying half a mile has forced the closure of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. That, coupled with jittery tourist cancellations, has struck almost as big a blow to the rest of the Big Island as lava has done to a few square miles of Puna.
The USGS and Hawaii Civil Defense have done a herculean job of monitoring, informing, warning, and moving people out of harm’s way in this fast-moving and complex natural disaster. And locals are rallying as best they can to support one another.
Today’s Eruption Summary
Kilauea’s still pulling some (alas, not all) of its punches. Early Wednesday morning, Fissure 8’s lava flow was surging towards Four Corners in sprints up to 600 yards an hour, causing emergency officials to go door to door ordering emergency evacuations. Luckily, it’s slowed, although it’s still inching towards the last remaining road in and out of Puna. People have had two precious days to go back and rescue pets and possessions before the lava cuts them off.
Meanwhile, the summit today was steaming with minor ash explosions. The USGS just released another drone survey of Halema’uma’u filmed May 26:
See caption on USGS website, and compare with drone footage of May 21.
USGS STATUS UPDATE: MAY 31 9:30 AM
Jessica Ball, USGS. See transcript. She talks about fissure 8 lava flow prompting new Kapoho and Noni evacuations. Summit same old, same old. NWS reported a 12,000 ft tall ash plume yesterday.

HVO STATUS REPORT May 31, 10:43 PM HST
Normally I don’t copy these out, but to summarize where we are one month in:
Kīlauea Volcano Lower East Rift Zone
Vigorous eruption of lava continues from the lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) fissure system in the area of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens.
Fissure 8 is continuing to produce persistent fountains that are reaching heights of up to 260 feet. A small spatter cone is forming on the downwind side of the fountain and is approximately 100 feet high. The fountains are feeding a major flow field heading north through Leilani Estates and then to the northeast along the course of Highway 132. Minor overflows from the margins of the channel are occurring along its length. The front of the Fissure 8 flow is advancing through agricultural lands and had crossed Railroad Avenue by 7:30 PM HST. Ground and UAS crews are in the area closely monitoring the progress of the Fissure 8 flow front. At 21:53 PM HST, the flow front was approximately 1.1 miles from the Four Corners area (the intersection of Highways 132 and 137).
The Fissure 18 flow that advanced to within 0.5 mi of Highway 137 has stagnated. The new flow that branches from the same channel 1.5 miles upslope appears to have captured most of the lava output from Fissure 18. It is descending downslope just to the south of the previous flow.
Fissure 22 is weakly active, and lava is pooling around the vent.
Pele’s hair and other lightweight volcanic glass from high fountaining of Fissure 8 are falling downwind of the fissure and accumulating on the ground within Leilani Estates. Winds may waft lighter particles to greater distances. Residents are urged to minimize exposure to these volcanic particles, which can cause skin and eye irritation similar to volcanic ash.
The most recent map of lava flows can be found here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_maps.html
HVO field crews are on site tracking the fountains, lava flows, and spattering from multiple fissures as conditions allow and reporting information to Hawaii County Civil Defense.
Volcanic gas emissions remain very high from the fissure eruptions. Trade wind conditions are bringing vog to the south and west sides of the Island of Hawaii.
Magma continues to be supplied to the lower East Rift Zone. Earthquake locations have not moved farther downrift in the past few days and the number of located earthquakes remains low. Seismicity at the summit remain low with numerous small magnitude earthquakes and low amplitude background tremor.
Additional ground cracking and outbreaks of lava in the area of the active fissures are possible. Residents downslope of the region of fissures should heed all Hawaii County Civil Defense messages and warnings.
USGS/HVO continues to monitor the lower East Rift Zone activity 24/7 in coordination with Hawaii County Civil Defense.
Kīlauea Volcano Summit
Ash continued to erupt intermittently from the vent within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at Kīlauea’s summit. Additional explosive events that could produce minor amounts of ash fall downwind are possible at any time. Earthquake activity is elevated at the summit, with many small events. Volcanic gas emissions at the summit remain high.
For forecasts of where ash would fall under forecast wind conditions, please consult the Ash3D model output here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/activity_2018.html
LATEST USGS VolcanoeS UPDATE
Kīlauea Message Fri, 01 Jun 2018 01:01:30 HST: Reports from ground and UAS crews indicate that the Fissure 8 lava flow has not advanced significantly from it's 10 PM HST location and remains 1.07 miles above Four Corners.
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) June 1, 2018
TODAY’s IMAGES FROM USGS/HVO


(Full-sized)

Weather clears yesterday at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. White plume is steam – groundwater interacting with hot rock within the vent conduit; ash continues to erupt intermittently. https://t.co/kKSuzCqWyi pic.twitter.com/PuDhBgo7C3
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) May 31, 2018
USGS-HVO Geologist Matt Patrick talks about what it's like to monitor volcanoes in this ~2 min video. https://t.co/gCb1VSAZ7o pic.twitter.com/nYaF2fI6us
— USGS Volcanoes🌋 (@USGSVolcanoes) May 31, 2018

USGS 6PM Media Conference Call
Summary: Eruption is continuing with no signs of stopping. Wendy Stovall gives all kinds of geeky tidbits about temperatures, heights, where the magma is coming from, plumbing system of Kilauea. She emphasizes that Kilauea receives a “continuous supply of magma from the deep mantle” thanks to its mantle plume. Scientists are starting to discuss calling this a new eruption, but their focus right now is on collecting data and getting info to Civil Defense.
[My notes/paraphrase of this conference call posted here.]
Pyroclasts?
Too many vocab words! Explanation of pyroclasts. This guide may also help: pyroclasts, tephra, lava bombs, lapilli.
Hawaii Civil Defense / Official Announcements:
Residents along Papaya Farms Rd & Noni Farms Rd should evacuate now. Residents of Vacationland & Kapoho Beach Lots should evacuate by 6/1 6PM or risk isolation. Mandatory evacuation order in effect for areas east of Pomaikai St in Leilani Estates. Evacuate by 6/1 12PM. pic.twitter.com/v5PTpURlco
— COH Civil Defense (@CivilDefenseHI) June 1, 2018
Civil Defense Alerts today: 7am (video) | 12pm (video) | 10AM | 6:45 PM (Video)
At 12PM, Mayor Harry Kim issued a new Mandatory Evacuation Order for the eastern half of Leilani Estates (map) with penalties for holdouts. Kim also issued an Emergency Rule limiting access to the Kapoho area and an Emergency Shelter proclamation to help streamline construction of emergency shelters and temporary housing.
Local News Reports
“Lava Update – Kapoho Flow Continues” — Mick Calber’s own notes on his May 31 overflight:
- KITN: “Fissure 8 continues to maintain eruptive fountains reaching 200-250 feet”
- HSA: “Leiliani Estates lava might not be part of the eruption that began in 1983, scientists say” Confusing headline; the source of lava is what drained from Pu’u O’o, but they’re debating whether to call it a different eruption. Article summarizes Pu’o O’o’s eruption history. [Trivia note: “According to USGS, the Puu Oo eruption ranks as the longest and most voluminous known outpouring of lava from Kilauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone in more than 500 years.”]
- HSA: “Residents of Lower Puna must evacuate by Friday or risk being stranded” – post updates throughout day; focuses on Fissure 8 flow towards Four Corners
- BIVN: “Ka’u Residents Discuss Vog, Ashfall With Officials” — 48 minute video of Wednesday night meeting with officials, residents in Pahala.
- HNN: “Residents in communities inundated with ash fear health impact.” Summary and brief video clip from same meeting.
- HSA: “Kau residents irritated by ashfall from volcano.“
- KITN: “EPA sets up air monitoring stations for those on the Big Island”
- HNN: “‘Get Out Now’: Residents told to flee parts of lower Puna or face arrest” This is about Kim’s new Mandatory Evacuation Order.
- HSA: “Arrests possible for Leilani Estates holdouts” (ditto.)
- HPR: Daily summary (including flow locations, evacuations) mostly same as elsewhere, but minor tidbit not mentioned elsewhere: Pahoa Community Aquatic Center closed after Pele’s Hair found in pool and filters.
- HNN: “Evacuees face tough road ahead as ‘staggering’ costs of eruption mount“
- HNN: “Big Island’s largest homeless shelter struggles to meet needs of lava evacuees“
- HNN: “For displaced Puna residents, these organizations may be able to help”
- BIN: “Relief for Taxpayers Affected by Lava Flow“
- “California man cited for flying drone in eruption no-fly zone“
- HNN: More details on “gun-toting man who shot at lava evacuee charged on multiple counts“
Social Media Roundup:
Over the past two weeks, air quality monitors have been installed in the communities most impacted by Kilauea’s emissions: Black Sands, Hawaiian Beaches, Kalapana, Kapoho, Kea‘au, Leilani, Nanawale, Pahoa, and Seaview Estates. pic.twitter.com/C7M3MSlpdM
— HI Dept of Health (@HIgov_Health) June 1, 2018
Video from fissure #8 from inside #LeilaniEstates (Tuesday May 29) #Kilauea #Hawaii @CivilBeat pic.twitter.com/WgQqueHtV4
— Anthony Quintano (@AnthonyQuintano) June 1, 2018
(replies to above vid include a bit of geeking with USGS Volcanoes social media folks)
Difference in earthquake activity for past week compared to past month nicely illustrates that the seismic activity is now focused on Kilauea summit, with the fissure activity no longer (for now) expanding downrift https://t.co/nCzDewkfqw pic.twitter.com/USFyDs5sTl
— Jascha Polet (@CPPGeophysics) May 31, 2018
Note: the map below isn’t official; it’s crowdsourced by people like longtime lava photographer Brian Lowry (lavapix).
Flew over this morning. Only 1 tiny puff of steam from 1 ocean entry. Hot spring flow front stalled. More coming. Flows to Kapoho widening and huge. Fountain amazing. #Hawaii #hvnp #hppa #volcano #Kilauea #lava #NEWSで妄想 #KilaueaVolcano #LeilaniEstates #BigIsland #eruption pic.twitter.com/8ahgoW8EJQ
— lavapix.com (@lavapixcom) June 1, 2018
HNN Mileka Lincoln reports:
#LeilaniEstatesEruption #KilaueaVolcano LATEST: USGS says fissure 8’s eruptive fountains are reaching 200-250ft, feeding a lava flow moving north out of #LeilaniEstates & northeast along Highway 132 into the area of Noni Farms Rd at 50yds/hr https://t.co/Gx57dOVICP @HawaiiNewsNow pic.twitter.com/XeOYtOF48U
— Mileka Lincoln (@MilekaLincoln) May 31, 2018
#LeilaniEstatesEruption #KilaueaVolcano UPDATE: Just how big is the fissure 8 fountain in #LeilaniEstates?! Take a look at this aerial view of 200-250 feet of lava shooting into the sky captured by Dave Okita; 5/31 USGS LATEST👉🏽 https://t.co/bkT6vGI4L3 @HawaiiNewsNow #HINews pic.twitter.com/VlOE8XebmU
— Mileka Lincoln (@MilekaLincoln) May 31, 2018