Hawaii Road Crews Prepping Lava Encroachment

Road crews on Hawaii’s Big Island have begun clearing access roads in case a lava flow from a nearby volcano cuts a main highway.

The Hawaii County Civil Defense agency reported Sunday that the lava flow had advanced about 150 yards since Saturday. The flow is about 0.2 miles from a sparsely populated neighborhood.

Residents aren’t in imminent danger but have been asked to prepare for an evacuation. County spokesman Kevin Dayton said it’s difficult to predict when the flow might will reach the neighborhood of about 30 homes.

The lava could flow across Highway 130 in about three weeks at its current pace, so crews are preparing alternative routes. The flow has advanced about 10 miles since June.