Concern for Leilani Estates as lava moves eastward underground

[WestCoastGal]

National Guardsman, Kelii Padello, was given morning shakas by ABC KITV for his service in the Guard and serving in the lava zone. If you are in the area you might recognize him out patrolling the streets.

http://www.kitv.com/clip/14520885/morning-shakas-to-a-rainbow-warrior

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HVO assess Kilauea's Collapse explosions, surges and pulses. From today's Big Island Now article with video: http://bigislandnow.com/2018/07/28/hvo-assesses-kilaueas-explosions-surges-pulses/

BTW video is from Thurs, 7/26 but notice the overflow going on at the rampart edge there. Assume this has to be Leilani and Pomaikai? The article also gives a look (in photos) of the lava river and F8 from Ho'okupu Street. Not a view we get to see any more due to restricted access so these current photos are nice to check out.

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While reading and watching the Big Island Now article above was checking out some of the older articles they had I hadn't seen. Found this photo of the USGS drone team taken on 7/24. Looks to be the same group that was seen on Durgin's lava cam on a few nights recently.   http://bigislandnow.com/2018/07/25/july-24-tour-of-leilani-estates/  The article goes more into what the drone team is capturing when they are in the field.

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Big Island Now also has a short article on Harry Durgin's lava cam. Nice to see  him getting some online recognition apart from fb users. He also discussed what plans were ongoing and his additional site surveys in Leilani that he was conducting today, Saturday. Said he did 2 yesterday in Leilani. This really sounds promising!

http://bigislandnow.com/2018/07/28/new-lava-webcam-set-up-by-private-individual/

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Jason Twillman has been posting a few photos on fb Hawaii Tracker group of smoke from the brush fire around the PGV side of the channel. As of 2:37pm HST there was still smoke visible. There are still homes over in that area. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215236910349278&set=pcb.1046844222148062&type=3&theater&ifg=1

Strangely enough about 4:30pm HST he also spotted some smoke on Kapoho Crater higher up from the lava floor below. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215237138674986&set=pcb.10215237146195174&type=3&theater&ifg=1

Edited July 29, 2018 by WestCoastGal
Added a few more stories so check out if you viewed earlier!

[Kim]

About the second video in the post above, from July 26 showing the overflows from the channel onto the ramparts on the west -- the video may have been taken from the roadblock on Leilani Ave. at Pomaikai, but that's still quite a distance from the actual flow.  Same location where Bo has taken photos he has posted here. My guess is it's either a super good zoom or they are taking the video just inside the roadblock. Just want to clarify that Pomaikai St. is not in danger of inundation from these minor overspills.

And Debbie, thanks for keeping up this mind-boggling amount of work pulling various news sources to this one location. You and Moose have really gotten hooked on the eruption! I come here probably once a day, but work and other obligations prevent me from viewing all the videos, though I do find those I watch informative. At the same time, as I mentioned before in a PM, quit any time you've had it.  I get lava burnout at least twice a week! No matter how much I learn it all boils down to "wait and see."

 

[WestCoastGal]

Thanks Kim. Hopefully the thread contents are diverent enough to have something for everyone, and totally understand viewing as time allows! There are videos and articles I've wanted to go back to that I haven't had the time either, some partially viewed. A bad back recently has given me more time to check out things but it was nice to get away to south central coast Calif for a few day before that. I miss @Moose not being around as much!

Like I'm sure everyone here, I'm curious what the future brings for Leilani Estates and Puna.

[WestCoastGal]

Well Harry's been working on his F8 camera and not sure if he's done positioning it but it appears to be up and running again, sans refreshing of the timestamp. Two recent images taken around 5:30-5:33 pm HST. BTW Hawaii has some very cool plants. Don't know what kind of trees these are but the trunk pattern reminds me of bamboo from the horizontal striping perspective. Nothing like this that I've seen in my area with that kind of growth pattern.

 

 

Team is back out. Harry still working on the camera imaging. Time stamp was up then removed. It was kind of in a weird location on the screen at some point after above image. He said he does this back at home so expecting changes still. I just remember the most gorgeous sunsets when we were in Hawaii.

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

Jason Twillman captioned this "In the name of science". This is looking at the part of the braided channel that got blocked and stopped flowing and hardened. There's closeups of the lava, a fb 360, and video. ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215237680568533&set=pcb.10215237682168573&type=3&theater&ifg=1 )

 

Do check out the 360 panoramic view.

 

[WestCoastGal]

LE resident Dallas Koons posted to Hawaii Tracker group that he was at Nani Mau on a work function and saw 50 other volunteers there helping to get the kids ready for relocated classes for the lava destroyed Kua O Ka La charter school. Heartwarming. Fellow LE resident Susie Osborne, Po'okula, must be smiling at the aloha. More planned work days ahead for volunteers. 

http://www.kuaokala.org/index.html

http://www.staradvertiser.com/2018/06/23/hawaii-news/charter-school-co-founder-looks-to-future-after-eruption/

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

Lava clearly visible in the cone tonight. BTW Harry reports that he got half of the platform up today and will complete it tomorrow so to expect outages on Sunday.  http://lavacam.org

 

I'm sure alot of this is the reflective glow from the lava but it does make you wish you could see F8 directly to see what is going on like a pulse or surge.

And then as it gets darker and you can see up along the lava river channel, glows like this, it gets you wondering even more (see trees to left).

[WestCoastGal]

Gabe (YT H.I.S Survival) came back a bit down from his trip to Waipio Valley and beach area (saw one of the wild horses there too). Said he was thinking he might move in his morning talk video. He has since decided to change up his video style (keep things interesting for him and us) and has since posted his new Vlog. More editing work on his part but I found it enjoyable. VLog #1 shows vegetation in LE at his house and at his friends (F10), he takes you on a road trip through Pahoa and down Hwy 130 over the plates to show what is part of life right now, and on to the beach area. Also shows that USGS is monitoring and collecting Tephra. 

He also took the time to take his surge video footage and turn it into a timelapse video. Great idea and much easier to notice the changes. 

 

[WestCoastGal]

Posted by TheCodesearcher dotcom (Jason Twillman's brother, Jonathan) of his drone video of the braided lava channel by Noni Farms Road. Very interesting to see what the channel that hardened over looks like without the lava in it. Wish we could have some idea of width for perspective and depth, although in one of his posts Jason said it was deep. Guess we won't know that info for a while though. Another question I have is did excess lava escape below into the ground cracks you see along the lower channel walls. You can definitely see how the channel walls break down and then sometimes would become lava boats.

In reading some of the comments on Hawaii Tracker for this video, Jonathan said this was 40-50 ft deep. Jason said in the shallower section they estimate 30+ feet deep.

I have not been a big fan of drones (especially if flown overhead and past people's homes without permission) but in situations like this, no way can someone in a helicopter get this kind of footage. So educational too.

Here's a second drone video of the channel by The Codesearcher dotcom and how immense volume is able to push house size boulders down the lava river with ease and at the same time carving deep into the channel.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Scott Wilson (Aloha Skies Aviation) photos from Saturday. 4:30, 6:30-7:30 pm. Some Leilani Estate photos. ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1911147878937468&set=pcb.1047145272117957&type=3&theater&ifg=1 )

[WestCoastGal]

A few more homes were lost on Saturday. Dane DuPont gave this update along with photos from Scott Wilson (Aloha Skies Aviation) on Hawaii Tracker group. ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=188966971972452&set=pcb.1047177828781368&type=3&theater&ifg=1 ) . Scott got some great photos. Not sure anyone else was flying today...at least haven't seen anything from the usuals.

There's only one cell tower on the PGV kipuka. Fire looks close to the cell tower by John and David's house (Honolulu Civil Beat live feed house). Has me wondering if the Lava Bomb house Mr. Clinton worked so hard to save will make it. They weren't too far down from the Civil Beat house. Sometimes feel like nothing is going to be spared. This is just so sad after seemingly being saved from the lava eruptions down there. Hope for the best for them and others in the area.

 

Hawaii needs one or two of those water and fire retardant planes they use in California to fight wild fires. Whole ocean not far from land to use.

[WestCoastGal]

Saw this question asked, and then answered by Scott Wilson a minute ago.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Philip is live now. Will link to the live video and substitute a link if it does automatically connect. ( https://www.facebook.com/phil.hawaii/videos/10215778546358654/ )

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

Sorry duplicate photo link removed. Nothing new from Mick Kalber or Hawaii County Civil Defense Flickr account. Looks like that's it for updates for Saturday. 

 

[Darold Petty]

Debbie, I think the trees with the strange bark pattern might be Cecropia sp.   Thanks very much for all your work ! 

[WestCoastGal]

1 hour ago, Darold Petty said:

Debbie, I think the trees with the strange bark pattern might be Cecropia sp.   Thanks very much for all your work ! 

Thanks, and I'd say you nailed identifying it @Darold Petty! Found some photos of the trunk, leaves and canopy and very cool tree. Have to wonder if the tree in the camera image dropped all of its leaves due to SO2 and is now making a comeback. Read that they are fast growers and common to understory layer of disturbed forest habitats. A food source for some sloths, but I don't think the Hawaiian ones have anything to worry about!

Leaves remind me of the Schefflera actinophylla (umbrella tree) a lot and I saw a photo of a single trunk tree and it had a similar growth pattern. Also saw for the first time the inflorescence and spectacular red color emanating from the very top of the tree. Wow.

[WestCoastGal]

It's been 28 hours since the last 5+ summit collapse explosion. Here's a view from Durgin's F8 camera from a bit earlier this morning. Waiting for morning overflights near PGV to come in.

Did see this update from Ryan Finlay (below). I heard it raining in Philip's late night video and wondered if it helped diminish the fire. Thought would have been nicer if it rained much earlier in the day. No close ups in this batch of photos. ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155935993380749&set=pcb.1047601688738982&type=3&theater&ifg=1 )

 

[WestCoastGal]

OK something less somber to help the morning along. Wish I could have been there in person to see Richard Ha present the guitar to Ikaika. Special moment for him I'm sure. And he plays so well which I already knew. Nice start to the day. ( https://www.facebook.com/richard.ha.hilo/posts/10212055523848899 )

 

[Moose]

8 hours ago, WestCoastGal said:

A few more homes were lost on Saturday. Dane DuPont gave this update along with photos from Scott Wilson (Aloha Skies Aviation) on Hawaii Tracker group. ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=188966971972452&set=pcb.1047177828781368&type=3&theater&ifg=1 ) . Scott got some great photos. Not sure anyone else was flying today...at least haven't seen anything from the usuals.

There's only one cell tower on the PGV kipuka. Fire looks close to the cell tower by John and David's house (Honolulu Civil Beat live feed house). Has me wondering if the Lava Bomb house Mr. Clinton worked so hard to save will make it. They weren't too far down from the Civil Beat house. Sometimes feel like nothing is going to be spared. This is just so sad after seemingly being saved from the lava eruptions down there. Hope for the best for them and others in the area.

 

Hawaii needs one or two of those water and fire retardant planes they use in California to fight wild fires. Whole ocean not far from land to use.

Hawaii don't get dry like California. Having Lower Puna's rain forest dry like this is an anomaly.

I think fire retardant in the water catchment systems would upset some residents.

[Moose]

8 hours ago, WestCoastGal said:

Saw this question asked, and then answered by Scott Wilson a minute ago.

 

Hopefully Rusty the Lava Rooster avoided getting roasted

[bgl]

1 hour ago, WestCoastGal said:

Thanks, and I'd say you nailed identifying it @Darold Petty! Found some photos of the trunk, leaves and canopy and very cool tree. Have to wonder if the tree in the camera image dropped all of its leaves due to SO2 and is now making a comeback. Read that they are fast growers and common to understory layer of disturbed forest habitats. A food source for some sloths, but I don't think the Hawaiian ones have anything to worry about!

Leaves remind me of the Schefflera actinophylla (umbrella tree) a lot and I saw a photo of a single trunk tree and it had a similar growth pattern. Also saw for the first time the inflorescence and spectacular red color emanating from the very top of the tree. Wow.

Yes, I can confirm that they are indeed Cecropia trees. This is a serious weed tree in Hawaii and it's not without a certain sense of "schadenfreude" to see how the leaves shrivel up in the current conditions. In other words, for supposedly being such a tough weed, a total wimp!

[WestCoastGal]

In the News (not much specific to Puna): 

Hawaii Fire Department was monitoring the fires near Noni Farms. http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2018/07/29/hawaii-news/brush-fires-lava-spillovers-reported/

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Media tours by the National Guard within Leilani Estates end today. Deployments have played into that decision. Civil Defense will conduct future media tours on a limited basis. http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/38758727/hawaii-national-guard-to-cease-media-tours-to-the-eruption-zone  I don't get it. If it's safe enough to take media groups through, why can't they do the same for residents of Leilani. Maybe something for one of those Pahoa Community Meetings. Maybe being able to see the lava and flow from different locations will change some minds or at least better inform residents who stay.

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Hawaiian Airlines launched special one-way neighbor island fares on the 27th. Tickets available for purchase through today, Sunday, 7/29, for travel Tues, Wed. and Saturdays between 9/18 and 11/7. http://bigislandnow.com/2018/07/27/hawaiian-airlines-launches-special-one-way-fares/   Flights between Honolulu and Kahului or Lihue - $49. Flights between Honolulu and Hilo or Kona - $59. If you are planning a trip to Hawaii during the time frame might want to pickup tickets to add an Island and come to Puna.

[Moose]

 

[Moose]

I remember the Pahoa flow, mostly covered by Bo's posts

 

[WestCoastGal]

Ikaika and Philip do a quick talk at the HUB. ( https://www.facebook.com/ikaika.marzo/videos/1909221112463749/UzpfSTM1NzQ1NTU1NDQyMDI2OToxMDQ3ODgyMDUyMDQ0Mjc5/ )

 

[WestCoastGal]

There was a M5.3 at 12:10pm HST (3:10pm PDT) just 1 hr. 20 minutes ago. Yes, sooner than "normal". One of the reasons people would like to see live cam at F8. Ikaika said a few people in Leilani said they saw a surge from the previous one. One from this latest collapse event could happen any time now.

The prior collapse a M5.4 happened on Sat. 7/28, at 2:37 am HST.

Edited July 29, 2018 by WestCoastGal
added info on last 5+ collapse

[WestCoastGal]

I suspect the surge may be coming through now by the looks of the cone and lava that I can see. 1st photo at 12:10pm HST when the M5.3 collapse explosion occured at the Summit (no lava visible now or prior to this photo), 2nd photo at 1:14pm HST and 3rd at 2:02pm HST.

 

 

View from PGV cam at 2:30pm HST.

 

BTW no photos shared yet from any flyovers. Not sure when someone was going to be going up, just know the HUB guys are expecting photos later. I know a number of people on fb Hawaii Tracker group are concerned about their properties up there and anxious to see close up photos. Only confirmed losses I've seen so far is John and David's house (post from John Davidson confirming it) and the Polestar was lost too (confirmed on their website-- https://www.facebook.com/polestargardens/ ). 

[WestCoastGal]

Ikaika and Philip at the HUB. Kind of a short update. ( https://www.facebook.com/ikaika.marzo/videos/1909552242430636/UzpfSTM1NzQ1NTU1NDQyMDI2OToxMDQ4MDgxMTYyMDI0MzY4/ )

 

[WestCoastGal]

Harry was working on completing his changes to the Y web cam positioning. Caught these images during his working on it. 

 

 

Believe this last image might represent the final positioning. It shows the cone with lava visible and a good length of the elevated lava river. If you didn't know it was a lava levee there you'd think it was a normal wall. The timestamp is very small type and discretely at the bottom strip of the image. I was hoping we'd get some elevation that would have raised the camera so that the actual channel could be seen but I guess with it being tens of feet above the road there, that would be hard to do. Too bad this spot isn't up hill of the channel for that downward view.

[WestCoastGal]

Dane DuPont posted images from Bruce Omori from this morning's overflight that just came in to him. ( https://www.facebook.com/extremeexposurefineartgallery/photos/pcb.1886976624704975/1886963428039628/?type=3&theater&ifg=1 )  It looks like the fire spread quite a distance and likely took out a lot of homes. So much blackness upon the land. I can't make out from these photos whether the lava bomb house was reached by fire or not. It would be down (closer to us in photo) from the cell tower on the left side. Kind of hard to make out the F17 cone what with everything blending into the blackness of the lava.

[WestCoastGal]

Interesting look tonight and cone still with lots of red lava. 6:32pm HST.

zoomed in

Everchanging light and wind and clouds to excite the eye.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Saw this post and pretty sure this is the owners of the lava bomb house by F17. Sounds like they recognized the house in overflight photos and it's still there.

[WestCoastGal]

Dane DuPont gave this Sunday night recap. Photos can be viewed here: ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=189925938543222&set=pcb.1048229365342881&type=3&theater&ifg=1 )

 

 

[Dypsisdean]

Debbie - FYI - and how useful PT Users are finding this topic.

I checked the Views from 8pm yesterday until 8pm today.

38,918 8pm Sat
39,141 8pm Sun

That means there were 223 views in the last 24 hour period. Some topics don't get that many views in a month - so I would say that many find this topic of interest (including myself). Thanks for your diligence.

[WestCoastGal]

Was heading to sleep and decided to check in on lavacam and saw the image below. Was zooming in and checking out the "light" thru the trees on the left which is where the lava channel runs from right to left and down toward PGV and Hwy 132 after that. Was ready to close my phone and then noticed the light to the right of the F8 area. Not sure but that light source might be an overflow near the bend there. That is not something that is normally seen in other night views. There most likely with tonight's collapse event was a surge although can't tell from our imagery here. At night the camera distorts the amount of light, but for sure that spot where the bend is in the channel is always a concern when the flow increases. Guess we'll know more after daylight. Hoping lava plays nice inside Leilani and elsewhere tonight. Too much loss today.

That source to the right of F8 isn't seen in this subsequent grab a bit later but the channel to the left has some pronounced "lit" areas. I have to say I am glad people aren't living in close proximity to this bend section of the channel. 

[sur4z]

just saw this...general info update

https://youtu.be/afCtNNQrqSU

 

[WestCoastGal]

 

Screen grab from Durgin's F8 cam and just amazing to day after day see this thing still going. Appears to have rained. Will check latest info shortly. But notice how the steam is rising behind the trees along the levee walls. 

I would have thought it was rising from the top of the levee from the surface of the hot flowing lava, but upon closer inspection it doesn't look that way to me but instead is coming from midway up on the outer levee wall. Here's three images for comparison focusing the view on the area. Kind of interesting and not what I expected. 

 

Makes me wonder if there was a little overflow along the banks here and the lava is still hot from last night so steaming. Steam is definitely not coming from the channel.

I thought for sure Mick Kalber would have added a new video to his vimeo site but it's still sitting on a 7/26 as the latest. I know he's been annoyed that fb won't let him cross post or something like that and maybe he did something different for uploading. Will try to find out. 

BTW I also have been checking Hawaii County Civil Defense's Flickr album page and their last album is from 7/25, so no new updates from them either. Very much would like to find high res images from the brush fire area to view and note any changes in the channel flow in general.

 

[WestCoastGal]

Les Pedersen reported that as of 10:03pm last night there was a 4.1 earthquake on Kilauea's south flank. This is interesting in that I've seen several people comment on Hawaii Tracker group in the past week or two that there was steam/smoke? coming from Pu'uO'o's vent and that would be on Kilauea south flank. Interesting.

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BTW Harry Durgin mentioned this morning that he's hoping to raise the lavacam by another 5 feet for hopefully an even better view. 

[WestCoastGal]

Ikaika's morning video from the ocean entry. Lots of lava and the whole scene looks angry. Said it's about 2-1/2 miles wide. And wow the view of F8 is spectacular in the early morning sky. Sh**! that's a lot of lava from there.

Ikaika reports that Pohoiki is still there. ( https://www.facebook.com/ikaika.marzo/videos/1910417165677477/UzpfSTM1NzQ1NTU1NDQyMDI2OToxMDQ4NjYzODQ4NjMyNzY2/ )

 

 

[WestCoastGal]

Scott Wilson (Aloha Skies Aviation) photos from last night's overflight 4:45pm to 7:37pm.  ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1912962355422687&set=pcb.1048285048670646&type=3&theater&ifg=1 )