Above: Looking into the dawn horizon and the active lava flows just west of Kalapana Gardens. A geology group lurks in the shadows.The coastal plains surface flow lava has advanced eastward from the lower branches of the current flow over the past few days. The leading edges are now only 1,500-feet from the barricaded end of highway 130, which is also the present county viewing site. This road has been cut shorter and shorter for many months now as various surges of lava have come down. So a more stable landmark to gage the distance is where highway 130 intersects the Kalapana Gardens subdivision access road, and is also the location of the nearest home. The distance from the flow front to there is close to 2,300-feet as of this morning; 1,700-feet closer than a week and a half ago.
Below are some other images taken this morning with captions:
Sunrise out of the sea over Kalapana Gardens. The dark ridge in the middle distant horizon, breaking the visible ocean in two, is the famed Hakuma Horst. 
Above (looking northwest toward Pulama Pali) & below: The last kipuka of forest in that area is burning right now and the leading edges of the flow are passing this area and moving east and southeast in two branches. There are other surface flows further a field to the west of here.
Above: My friend and field partner Ron Boyle. Ron often contributes his excellent photos to the blog.Below is one Ron snapped of me scouting out the flow field this morning. 
Inflation within the magma chambers below Kilauea are high as recorded on the USGS/HVO deformation graphs right now
This inflation seems to have aso reactivated the rise & fall of lava within the Halema`uma`u crater.
The Pu`u O`o crater also came alive last night again with some serious cone spatter and lava rivers. Check out that cam day or night here~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As usual, I will try to post my next update in a few days unless some more exciting lava developments take place in the meantime ;) (I usually post my blogs between 11:00 AM and Noon if I am reporting for the same day I have walked the flow fields)
You can always get onsite coastal lava flow information and viewing conditions by phoning Janguard lava viewing security management who are stationed along the access road at the end of Highway 130 from 2:00 PM until 10:00 PM daily: 430-1966
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