ASSOCIATED PRESS A wildfire ignited by a lava flow from Kilauea Volcano burns in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, yesterday.

Firefighters battle
faster lava flow

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Star-Bulletin staff

HILO >> Firefighters are returning to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park this morning after a lava flow picked up speed over-night, posing new danger in an area that had been blackened by a lava-generated wildfire over the weekend.

In anticipation of the lava igniting brush and forest fires today, firefighters will concentrate on burning a "black line" at least 50 feet wide as a control measure. The weekend blaze swept through 880 acres on the Pulama Pali before rain helped firefighters contain the fire.

Without a "black line," officials fear the flow could enter lowland areas covered by dry grass, Jim Martin, park superintendent, said this morning. The fire could then sweep through the grass and back into the forest, he said.

Archaeological features, such as trails and vacant house sites, lie in the path of the planned "black line," Martin said. But officials will take precautions to avoid or minimize damage.