Lava flows on Hawaii’s Big Island are hottest, fastest in latest eruption
HONOLULU — The hottest and fastest-moving lava of Kilauea volcano’s latest eruption spread across new parts of the Big Island early Thursday, forcing officials to order evacuations in two coastal neighborhoods over fears that the rapidly advancing flows could cut off dwindling escape routes.
Overnight, the lava was moving fast enough to cover about six football fields an hour, according to U.S. Geological Survey scientist Wendy Stovall.
“Hawaii County Civil Defense decided to evacuate all of lower Puna to ensure that people would be able to get out,” Stovall said.