June 25, 2018 Fissure 8 Feeds Flows
Wonderfully clear skies gave us access to the entire Leilani Eruption flow field today. The fountains of Fissure 8 are not as high as they have been, but activity within the nearly 200-foot high cone has not lessened… Pele continues to generate 6-9 million cubic meters of lava per day from the vent. She sends this enormous amount of hot liquid rock downslope in rivers… some hundreds of feed wide and just as deep… to the ocean entry some eight miles below. The flow front is huge… two miles across now, where two beach communities stood just three weeks ago. Hundreds of houses were destroyed earlier this month… only a handful remain at the north end of Kapoho Bay, which is now solid black lava rock. Only a few overflows were observed today… and none that threatens homes at this time. More will be revealed tomorrow morning. Pilot Sean Regehr kept us aloft in fine fashion. Special Return Guest Charlene Meyers, Leilani, Camper Ducky, Bruce Omori and I always love flying with the expert flyboy… mahalo plenny, Sean and Paradise Helicopters!
Mahalo to Paradise Helicopters and Bruce Omori at Extreme Exposure