Originally Posted by
tatterdema
Letting tourists NEAR the lava is dangerous as well as inconvenient. There are many many reports of morons sticking things in the lava, then flinging it around, hitting other people. Also of people trying to walk on it, then falling through.
The nightly news tonight talked about the horrible air quality in the area right now because of the direction of winds. At least tourists can pack up and leave, just forfeiting a few hundred in fee's. I feel for the locals who have no place else to go. Not like it will just end tomorrow either... although it could.
Actually, the only incident I've heard of related to the current lava flow is two locals sticking things in the lava. They were arrested after bragging about it.
I'm not sure if anyone keeps comprehensive stats, but the number of people hurt on the Big Island by active lava flows in the past 50 years can probably be counted on one hand. This stuff oozes slowly; it's not a Mount St. Helens situation.
There is also a geographic challenge related to this. Nobody should plan a vacation in Pahoa now, but nobody ever does anyway. People vacation along the cost in Puna, which is generally about 10 miles away from Pahoa. I've heard of no reports of any "bad air" in these areas (indeed, I've been told the exact opposite), although I imagine it's possible -- just like VOG happens in Kona.
What will be a challenge to area tourists is if the lava flow eventually reaches Highway 130 and alternate access to the beach areas has to be utilized. We'll have to see how well those roads work. In the meantime, speaking on behalf of the local Chamber of Commerce
, there's no reason to avoid a vacation in Puna, whether you get to see any lava or not.
EDIT: While lots of people would assume lava viewing on the Big Island would have to be very dangerous, these slides shows that, historically, tourists went right up to the lava! I guess times were different.
http://www.seattlepi.com/news/slides...to-7060319.php