‘It couldn’t be worse timing’

The June 27 lava flow could reach Pahoa Marketplace by Christmas.

Darryl Oliveira, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator, said Wednesday the flow was about five to six days from reaching the shopping center based on its current rate.

The flow advanced 220 yards within 24 hours as of Wednesday morning, placing it about 0.9 miles from Highway 130 and 1,200 to 1,300 yards from the marketplace.

Without a significant change in the flow rate, lava could reach businesses by Monday, three days before the holiday.

No evacuation order has been issued, though businesses are making plans to close. Subway and the Aloha Petroleum gas station closed Tuesday.

“It couldn’t be worse timing,” Becky Petersen, owner of Jungle Love clothing, said Tuesday, adding she is having to prepare to close during the busiest time of year.

Some of the largest tenants, Malama Market and Ace Hardware, are closing at 6 p.m. today.

The flow is largely following a path of steepest descent that goes through the marketplace. Its front has veered slightly to the north recently, but geologists are expecting it to return to that path.

Oliveira said Civil Defense and the state Department of Transportation will decide together when the highway might close. No date has been set for that or evacuating the marketplace. Those decisions will depend on flow rates of the lava as it nears.

Oliveira said an alternate route on Railroad Avenue would be open before the highway is closed to give motorists time to adjust.

If the flow covers the highway, it might still be possible to build a road or pedestrian path over it, Oliveira said.

“The concept would be to build over a hardened and solidified and stable lava flow after it crossed the highway,” he said. “If there’s an active tube system, a lot more needs to be considered.”

Meanwhile, many Puna residents got their first look of stalled portions of the flow Wednesday as the county opened Apa‘a Street to public access.

Emily Henry of Leilani Estates said seeing the flow from the closed Pahoa waste transfer station was more emotional than she expected.

“It’s overwhelming,” she said. “To see it right here, it’s amazing.”

Malama Market remained busy Wednesday as shoppers tried to get their groceries before it closes.

“I wish it wasn’t going to take our store,” said Ralph Archuleta of Pahoa. “It’s all we got except 7-Eleven.”

Some shops were planning to stay open as long as possible.

“We do have produce provided here and they are going to need it,” said June Blas of Cryzl’s Variety Store.

Other businesses near the marketplace also are making plans to close.

William Waiau, manager of Longs Pharmacy’s Pahoa location, said the store is steeply discounting seasonal and perishable items in anticipation of being told to evacuate. No closure date has been set.

“Pharmacy needs will be handled at other (Longs) stores,” he said.

Waiau wasn’t aware of any other pharmacies left in the area.

“Unfortunately, there’s no place in Pahoa where we would be able to make a mobile type of store,” he said.

Lori Kong, owner of Aloha Lehua Cafe, said she expects to be the last one evacuated.

Her cafe is located next to Longs across Pahoa Village Road from the marketplace.

She said the timing couldn’t be worse.

“It is Christmas,” Kong said. “For me, it’s very heartbreaking.”

Still, she said she is going to do her best to help keiki in the area despite also facing closure because of the flow. Kong said she will be offering 1,000 gift certificates for keiki nachos at her cafe and several hundred gifts to area students impacted by the flow.

“It’s the children that are very sad … and heart broken not knowing and understanding what the lava is about, what it’s doing,” Kong said. “We’re so tied up in our own adult minds that we forget about the children.”

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.