PAHOA — The June 27 lava flow appears to have chosen which path it will follow.
PAHOA — The June 27 lava flow appears to have chosen which path it will follow.
And it’s not good news for Pahoa’s main shopping center.
As of Wednesday morning, the flow remained on a path of steepest descent that would take it through Pahoa Marketplace, on the north side of town.
How quickly it could get there remains to be seen.
The flow had advanced another 300 yards as of Wednesday morning and was about 2 miles upslope from the shopping center, which includes one of the town’s main grocery stores, a hardware store, medical office, gas station and other services.
The flow rate has fluctuated recently, but if it maintains its most recent pace, lava could reach the stores in roughly 12 days.
Several shop owners and supervisors said they will remain open until told to leave by Hawaii County Civil Defense.
Sean Gravela, Ace Hardware supervisor, said the store has had procedures in place to remove hazardous materials since geologists began warning about the flow in August.
“When we had word that it was heading this way at first … our procedures were to get the containers in here, and actually we had the containers parked outside,” he said.
Like others working at the shopping center, Gravela said he is worried about having to find employment if lava inundates the area.
“I got to look out for my family,” he said. “I got to look out for a job.”
Recently, officials were unsure which path the flow might follow as it neared an area where two paths of steepest descent, which help identify the flow’s likely direction, nearly converge.
But the flow has remained on the path toward the marketplace as it passes through that area rather than taking another route. HVO spokeswoman Janet Babb said the flow is expected to stay on its current path.
“That’s what we would expect at this point unless something changes,” she said.
She said the topography and slope remain fairly consistent between the flow and the marketplace.
“There could be a gully feature it may enter,” Babb said. “It depends what direction it takes.”
The flow was about 50 to 75 yards wide at its front Wednesday morning, said Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira.
Oliveira said outreach with businesses in the area continues.
“We are trying to maintain as close communication with them as possible without creating additional fear and anxiety,” he said.
Oliveira said medevac sites are being established in the area in case the flow cuts through Highway 130. Helicopters practiced landing at one outside the Leilani Estates community center Wednesday, he said.
The next lava community meeting is at 6:30 p.m. today at Pahoa High School cafeteria.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.