Is there real volcano danger living in Hilo or Puna?

Question

We are considering moving to Hilo or Puna from Oregon. We would like the climate change. Also our son will start college and they are suppose to have a good one there. It seems like puna have resonable costing real estate...but there also seems to be a threat of volcanic activity. Also...it seems after researching that the beaches are not that great anywhere around there...but they have "Tidepools". Any advice is helpful.

Answer 1

First off... your nomenclature; Puna is a very, very large district. Hilo is also a district, but it is also the name of the largest town as well as the County seat for Hawai'i Island.

The active lava flow is coming off of the East Rift, and is currently headed towards the South East direction of Puna. To visualize the activity, look at this map, as it lists many subdivisions with some of Hawai'i's "cheapest" housing...  http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/ma...

Eruption Update For Jan. 17, 2008

"Hazard Summary: Based on the information summarized above, there continues to be a threat from lava flows to residents of Royal Gardens subdivision. The rootless shields are a little more than 2 miles uphill of the subdivision and lava is capable of advancing similar distances in a week. Hawai`i County Civil Defense has been notified and is taking appropriate measures.

...

Sulfur dioxide emissions remain high and were measured at three times the usual level on Sunday."

http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/kilaueastatus...

Before you move to the East side of Hawai'i Island, I highly suggest that you visit beforehand.

You might also want to familiarize yourself with the social and economic situation in that area: http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/

And if you are sensitive to sound, you might wish to listen to the invasive Coqui Frog; you will hear the nighly orchestra of Coqui from dusk to dawn..

Why Are Coqui Frogs a Problem in Hawai'i?

The coqui frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui Thomas (Anura: Leptodactylidae), was accidentally introduced into Hawai'i from Puerto Rico in about 1988. Aside from being a major noise nuisance, the frogs pose a threat to Hawai'i’s island ecosystem. Coqui frogs have a voracious appetite that puts Hawai'i’s unique insects and spiders at risk. They can also compete with endemic birds and other native fauna that rely on insects for food. The frogs are quite adaptable to the different ecological zones and elevations in the state and have been found from sea level to 4,000 feet elevation (at sites in Volcano on Hawai'i). Scientists are also concerned that an established coqui frog population may serve as a readily available food source if (or when) brown tree snakes are accidentally introduced in Hawai'i.

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/coqui/backgr...

Sure real estate in the Puna district is very cheap. but you gotta ask yourself WHY is every other house for sale?!  You might get a bargain on your home, but you might also be getting a lot more than you bargained for... BUYER BEWARE! Visit first to see if you can handle the lifestyle. Sorry for the brutal honesty, but moving thousands of miles for a "cheap" home in Hawai'i doesn't necessarily  make sense if  you haven't investigated both the physical area AND the current and historical social, economic, enviromental, and political issues impacting the area.