Kilauea Volcano, Hawai’i
Lava flow, East Rift Zone 1 Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island in Hawai’i is all over the news right now. Flowing lava has caused a huge 44-acre lava shelf (“bench”) along the coastline to collapse in the ocean. My parents and I visited Volcano National Park in Hawai’i in August 2002 and walked out to the lava flowing down the hill. There were miles of solidified lava benches that had built up over 30 or more years. When we were there, the amount of above-ground lava that was flowing was minimal (see picture at left), and we were able to get within a few feet of the lava before the temperature was uncomfortable. Now, though, a lot more lava is flowing, as you can see in the pictures from the U.S. Geological Survey. Here’s an interesting anecdote from a recent visitor to the island.
Comment by Nathan Etherington
I’m just jealous that you get to go to Hawai’i. I mean it’s so cool there that you can pretty much walk right up to a lava flow and watch it work it’s way down the slope and not be threatened by it.
