Madame Pele

Dark volcanic smoke plume from lava behind Pahoa town.

First a hurricane and now weeks later, we are preparing for a lava flow.
We live on the island of Hawaii, the only island with an active volcano.  We moved here 21 years ago.  Back then our good friend Peggy Forgues, the "turtle lady" of Kapoho would tell us stories of the 1960 eruption and lava flow which destroyed the village of Kapoho, but miraculously stopped short of destroying the lighthouse at Cape Kumukahi.  The stories seemed to us like folklore.  Surely there wouldn't be an eruption and flow that would disrupt our lives. We were young and optimistic.  We bought our home in Kapoho without looking back.  We have loved our lives here in rural Hawaii.  Quiet, perfect, peaceful days spent by the ocean with no need to get into the car.  Just nature.

    Now, just a short time after Hurricane Iselle and its aftermath, another potential devastation approaches.  We residents of the Puna district are waiting and watching the approaching lava.   It is almost always on our minds.   We are checking in with friends here and on the mainland and checking our Facebook pages for new posts from various lava preparedness group pages we have joined.  

        Breakouts have occurred along the leading edge of the flow.
photo by Bruce Omori

Puna has come together as a  real time and virtual community as never before.   There are so many details to consider (i.e. food,  alternate housing, schools, jobs,  transportation,  health care, electricity, gas, propane, phones and internet) and it feels good to have the support of these groups if only for the advice and sympathy we share.
There are weekly informational meetings held in the local high school cafeteria by government agencies.  Local politicians, such as Mayor Billy Kenoi and Pahoa Councilman, Greggor Ilagan are usually present to answer questions.  At one recent meeting Mr. Ilagan took the time to introduce me to someone that could help me with starting a food co-op in my community.   
    Announcements on the lava's progress are broadcasted daily by the Hawaii County Civil defense, 

Packed informational lava meeting at the Pahoa H.S. cafeteria.

who fly over the lava flow in helicopters.  When the lava crosses the highway, lower Puna will be isolated from Hilo, an island into itself.   The local government is scrambling to provide infrastructure  in the form of 2 one lane dirt roads to take the place of our mostly 2 lane paved highway that connects us to Hilo town.
We wake each morning wondering how far the lava will advance and what path it will take.  We are told that it is as wide as a football field.  
The lava is projected, as it looks now, to flow through our beloved town of Pahoa.  
      The town was originally built to support  the early industries of sugar cane (Olaa Sugar Company) and lumber (Pahoa Lumber Company).  In its current incarnation, Pahoa is the home of many interesting boutiques and some of the best restaurants on the entire island.  It has retained its character through the preservation of its original wooden boardwalk sidewalks.  
Tiffany Edwards Hunt, who's family owns Jeff Hunt Surfboards in Pahoa, and who is running for City Council in our upcoming election, posted on Facebook recently, asking residents to come out and support local merchants and celebrate our town, while it is still alive.
You can see this happening, even a few weeks later.  On a recent Tuesday night driving through Pahoa, the normally quiet town was bustling, with packed restaurants and cars parked up and down the street.  There was electricity in the air.  

Sunset view of lava plume from Pahoa skatepark.
photo by Smiley Burrows

       Two Pahoa schools  (the Montessori Country School and the Kamehameha Preschool) have already closed their doors and two more (Pahoa High School and HAAS) will follow when the lava gets closer and the air quality becomes dangerous.   The students of these sc hools will most likely be bused to Kea’au High School, traditionally a rival of Pahoa High School.  The much beloved Montessori School has closed after 31 years of service last month due to low enrollment. Many parents withdrew their children in anticipation of the lava crossing and blocking the highway.  Many of the children we know started their education at Montessori.  We've cheered the school each year at our local Pahoa Holiday Parades.  It is unthinkable that there might not be a parade this year.

      My daughter's school HAAS (Hawaii Academy of Arts and Sciences Public Charter School) is potentially in the lava's path, if the flow continues along the same direction.  The students have started a website, Hope For HAAS to raise funds to rebuild the campus if the school is destroyed. 

      As of now we "Punatics" have accepted that the lava may come and our lives may change. We are continually building up our stock of emergency groceries and other staples. We cannot really know what it will be like and what choices we will make but we can appreciate the "now" (which is what we who do yoga are always trying to achieve), enjoy our special town and the ease of our lives.