Hawaii Volcano Concerns: Accidents, Air Travel Waiver, Emergency Proclamation

As of this morning, the USGS says that a Mauna Loa eruption flow has now crossed the observatory road. That occurred during the night. It has been confirmed that there are four active fissures. No communities are threatened, however, by the current lava flow.

That news comes as the Hawaii DOT issued a warning to avoid car accidents on the Big Island and Hawaiian Airlines issued a Hawaii volcano travel waiver.

If that’s not enough news for the Big Island, the ground shook with an earthquake there at 3:27 AM. This is unrelated to the Mauna Loa eruption and had no impact on either the Mauna Loa or the Kilauea eruptions. It took place near Pahala, where there have been many earthquakes over the few three years.

Hawaiian Airlines travel waiver to Big Island (Kona and Hilo) is now in effect.

This morning, Hawaiian Airlines said that a travel waiver is in effect for those planning on travel to or from the Big Island from November 28 through December 4. That means that those affected can reschedule their flights at no added cost. Hawaiian said, “If you’d like to reschedule your flight to new dates and your original flight date is between Nov. 28 – Dec. 4, 2022, HST, we’ll waive any applicable fare difference on the same city pair for travel and same cabin of service. Tickets must be rebooked by Dec. 4, 2022, and travel must recommence by Dec. 14, 2022.”

BOH: The airline also said you can credit the value of your ticket to future travel. We warn, however, that Hawaiian does not currently allow rebooking online, and the low-fare classes of service available online are not accessible via their call center. Hawaiian said, “Upon rebooking a new flight, no change fees will be charged, but a fare difference may apply.”

Travel safety warning from Hawaii DOT on Big Island Saddle Road.

This morning the state DOT said they are reminding residents and visitors to “use caution and common sense on the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Route 200, formerly known as Saddle Road) during the ongoing Mauna Loa eruption.” They added, “During this event, the no parking zones between mile marker 16 and mile marker 31 will be enforced.”

DOT: “REMINDER: DO NOT PARK ON DKI HIGHWAY (SADDLE ROAD) TO OBSERVE MAUNA LOA ERUPTION.”

The saddle road is designed for high-speed travel across the Big Island, and the speed limit is as high as 60 mph. DOT warned, “The route is not meant to support high volumes of vehicles parking on the highway and its shoulders or pedestrians walking in the roadway.”

“Due to the increased activity and dangerous behaviors, HDOT is reminding motorists that shoulders are meant as a safety feature for disabled vehicles. Do not park along the highway to observe the volcanic activity, especially in areas where vehicles unexpectedly leaving or reentering may pose a hazard, or in areas where motorists may not be expecting people outside vehicles.”

State emergency proclamation.

This morning the governor issued an emergency proclamation (included below) that referenced the following:

1. On November 27, 2022, Mauna Loa began erupting with lava initially confined to Moku’aweoweo, the caldera near the mountain’s summit. The eruption has since migrated from the summit to the Northeast Rift Zone, where fissures are feeding several lava flows.
2. The eruption has also released volcanic gasses and ash plumes of such character that the National Weather Service issued an ashfall advisory for the County of Hawai‘i.
3. The ash plume from Mauna Loa had further traveled in a NorthNortheasterly direction toward Maui County;
4. This eruption and further seismic activity will most likely continue, thereby endangering the people’s health, safety, and welfare.
5. This occurrence of a severe, sudden, and extraordinary event of the eruption of Mauna Loa with associated lava, volcanic gasses, and ash threatens to cause damages, losses, and suffering of such character and magnitude to affect the health, welfare, and living conditions of a substantial number of persons, and to affect the economy of the State, and has the potential to be of such a nature as to warrant rehabilitative assistance from the State;
6. The Legislature of the State of Hawai‘i has appropriated from the general revenues of the State monies as may be necessary for expenditure by or under the direction of the Governor for the immediate relief of the conditions created by the emergency.

Additional road closures on Big Island.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has announced that “As part of our eruption response plan, Hawaii Volcanoes has implemented further closures to the main, easy, access points that lead up to the Mauna Loa Summit. These include the Mauna Loa Observatory Access Road through Hawai‘i County and Mauna Loa Road, known locally as ‘Strip Road.’ These have been closed physically through barriers. Individuals attempting to access through these are subject to fines and arrest.”

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