The June 27 lava flow was about a half-mile from Pahoa Marketplace on Saturday morning after advancing 160 yards in the past day, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense.
The June 27 lava flow was about a half-mile from Pahoa Marketplace on Saturday morning after advancing 160 yards in the past day, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense.
Darryl Oliveira, Civil Defense administrator, said Saturday the flow was about six to seven days from reaching businesses based on its current rate of advance.
An evacuation might occur when lava is estimated to be about three days from reaching the marketplace, located near the intersection of Pahoa Village Road and Highway 130.
Lava was about 0.7 miles from that intersection Saturday morning, according to Civil Defense.
The county Saturday opened the Railroad Avenue alternate route to allow residents to get familiar with the packed gravel road and new way of getting around if the highway is closed.
Drivers began exploring the new Railroad Avenue route within minutes of its opening Saturday, said Hawaii County spokesman Kevin Dayton.
“This by no means means that the highway will become closed any time soon,” Oliveira said.
Oliveira estimated the alternate route would add 20 to 30 minutes to commutes. There is a 20 mph speed limit and the route is not lit.
“People need to prepare for some darker conditions out there,” Oliveira said.
About eight of the businesses in the marketplace plan to remain open until an evacuation occurs. Longs Drugs, located across Pahoa Village Road from the marketplace, closed Saturday.
“Some of these businesses are unable to relocate these employees, and therefore will be laying them off,” Oliveira said. “The impact is far-reaching.”
A handful of restaurants — one serving sushi, another serving Chinese food — remain open, along with clothing store Jungle Love.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the tip of the flow front’s active northern branch was about 10 yards wide.
According to HVO, the southern branch of the flow front had stalled, though there was “abundant evidence of inflation indicating that both branches remained active.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.