Brief interruption to Kahauale‘a 2 flow advance

The Kahauale‘a 2 flow has been advancing through forest northeast of Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō for the past several months, but last week deflation at the summit of Kīlauea led to a reduction in lava supply and a shutdown to the flow front as active breakouts diminished. Over the past week summit inflation has returned, and new breakouts have appeared on the flow, but well behind the former flow front. Because the active breakouts at the flow margin have shut down, there was little smoke from forest fires today. If the new breakouts continue to advance they will expand the Kahauale‘a 2 into the forest once again and fires will resume.