VOLCANO — As Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed Friday in anticipation of possible violent explosions at the summit of Kilauea, residents of nearby Volcano village remained largely unconcerned.
The Kilauea lava lake continued to recede and approach the water table Friday, increasing the potential for a series of violent steam explosions. Tina Neal, scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said the lava lake is now out of sight from the rim, with a near-continual plume of steam emerging from the crater.
HVO spokeswoman Janet Babb said the lava lake was roughly 704 meters above sea level as of Wednesday, merely 104 meters above the water table — although she emphasized that the level of the water table is an estimate based on a well more than a mile away.
In any event, should falling rocks dam the Kilauea vent after groundwater floods the shaft, building steam pressure could cause a series of steam-driven explosions, propelling rocks up to a mile away and generating ash plumes of up to 20,000 feet, which can scatter across areas up to 12 miles away.
However, Neal said, any such explosions will likely not threaten the lives of nearby communities. Rocks propelled by the explosions will not travel far enough to reach any communities, while only a few millimeters of ash are expected to collect on any given place.
That was the understanding among Volcano residents Friday afternoon. While many were apprehensive about when, if ever, an explosion would happen, few seemed frightened about such a possibility.
“We’re just going to wait and see,” said Volcano resident Cash Lopez. “What else can you do?”
Lopez and her sister, Crystal Chow, have spent the past few days making some preparations for possible ashfall and have put together a few bags of supplies in case of emergency. However, the two are largely concerned with the logistics of the situation rather than the situation itself.
“I have a co-worker who rents,” Lopez said. “And I told her to check with her landlord to see if he’s going to pay to protect his property, or if she can do it and he’ll reimburse her. Things like that, you need to ask to make sure.”
While an ashfall event is expected to only be a nuisance, Neal said, it might still have negative effects, particularly for people with respiratory problems.
Talmadge Magno, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator, advised residents to close their windows, remain indoors or in vehicles, and secure their water catchment systems.
On the advice of officials during a Thursday community meeting at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Lopez said she purchased tarps to cover her water catchment tank and removed her gutters. Other advice from the meeting included covering vehicles’ engines and air intakes, keeping pets indoors, and using water to remove ash from surfaces, instead of wiping it off, which might cause scratches.
Another Volcano resident, Mike McKenney, said he was “not terribly” concerned about the potential explosions. The last time a similar event happened, in 1924, the potentially deadly rocks did not reach outside the current park boundaries, he reasoned.
Of course, McKenney said, he was more worried about the volcano when he first moved to the area 23 years ago. When he built his house, he said, he made sure it was upwind of the crater and in an older forest.
“The older the forest, the longer it’s survived without being hit by lava,” McKenney said, although he acknowledged that lava will not likely be a threat to Volcano in the coming days.
The only residents who appeared concerned about the eruption were those whose businesses depended on attracting people to the area.
“As an event coordinator, it’s nerve-wracking,” said Fern Forest resident Sara Krosch.
Krosch spent the past year planning the Maker Fair Spring Spree, an artisan craft fair in Volcano that takes place today. While Krosch said the event will continue unless an emergency warning is made, she is less certain about how many will attend.
“We’re not going to host an event with imminent danger,” Krosch said. “Our first priority is people’s safety.”
The most frustrating part about the threat of eruption, Krosch said, is its unpredictability.
“Usually, it’s just a matter of looking at the weather for the next day,” Krosch said.
Janet Coney, business manager at Kilauea Lodge, said several dozen people have backed out of reservations since volcanic activity began last week in Leilani Estates.
Coney said many of the cancellations were made by visitors from out of state who don’t understand the geography of the island. However, she said, now that the nearby crater is under scrutiny, she understands some people’s concerns.
“Maybe they’re scared,” said Kittipan Puttakhan, manager at the Tuk-Tuk Thai Food Truck at Cooper Center in Volcano. Fewer visitors than normal visited Cooper Center on Friday, Puttakhan said.
However, Puttakhan said he would move the food truck if an explosion occurs, as a precaution.
Coney said she has made what preparations she can at the lodge for possible ashfall, and is now, like everyone else, simply waiting for something to happen.
Reporter Tom Callis contributed to this story.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.