HAWAII: A powerful burst of lava fountaining from Kilauea forced officials to close Hawaii Volcanoes National Park’s summit area and a stretch of Highway 11 on Hawaii Island after volcanic debris and ash began falling across visitor overlooks, roadways and nearby communities. Park rangers evacuated visitors from summit viewpoints as conditions deteriorated Tuesday, March 10, with tephra covering pavement, obscuring road markings and creating skid hazards for vehicles.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said Episode 43 began at 9:17 a.m. HST from vents inside Halemaumau crater, sending twin lava fountains high above the caldera floor and producing a growing plume. The observatory raised its volcano alert level to WARNING and the aviation color code to RED during the event as the eruption cloud rose above 25,000 feet. Officials said activity remained confined within the summit crater and did not threaten buildings.
Tephra, a mix of volcanic rock fragments, ash and glassy material including Pele’s hair, fell heavily near the crater rim and into nearby areas, according to federal and county officials. The observatory reported larger fragments near the summit and noted reports of fine ash and Pele’s hair reaching communities downwind, including Hilo. The National Weather Service issued an ashfall warning for areas northeast of the park, urging people to limit exposure because airborne particles can irritate eyes, skin and breathing.
Summit shutdown and highway closure
The National Park Service said the Kilauea summit area was temporarily closed as tephra continued to fall over popular overlooks and trails, and Highway 11 was shut between mile markers 24 and 40 on either side of the park. The park said trails and outdoor overlooks near the summit were closed during the height of the event as tephra reduced visibility and made surfaces slippery. Overnight guests with reservations at Volcano House and Kilauea Military Camp were allowed to enter with identification but were told to shelter in place.
By Tuesday evening, the observatory said Episode 43 ended at 6:21 p.m. HST after about nine hours of fountaining, while park officials reported fountains subsided around 6:18 p.m. Cleanup and assessment began immediately, and by Wednesday, March 11, the park reopened Crater Rim Drive West from the entrance to Kilauea Military Camp and said Highway 11 was open. The park kept Uekahuna Overlook and its parking area closed, citing tephra deposits up to a foot deep.
Cleanup support and public safety guidance
Hawaii County Civil Defense opened a shelter at the Kau District Gym in Pahala for residents and visitors affected by the road closure or tephra impacts and issued protective guidance for those in ashfall areas. The agency advised people with respiratory conditions to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed when possible, and avoid driving in heavy ashfall. Officials also warned that fine particles can be stirred up again by wind and traffic.
County officials and partner organizations set up a tephra information center at the Cooper Center in Volcano to provide cleanup guidance and assistance information, with scheduled hours Wednesday, March 11, and Thursday, March 12. The observatory said the event produced a significant ash and heat plume that at times exceeded 30,000 feet above sea level and deposited heavy tephra near the summit, including several inches reported at Uekahuna. The observatory estimated about 16 million cubic yards of lava erupted during Episode 43 before activity paused. – By Content Syndication Services.