MEDIA RELEASE

The County of Hawaii is adjusting viewing hours at the Kalapana lava viewing site.

Beginning Sunday, February 1, the viewing site will be open daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Cost considerations resulted in the decision to cut three afternoon viewing hours that had the least number of visitors over the past nine months, said County Finance Director Nancy Crawford. Visitor arrivals at the viewing site are lowest until about 5 p.m., and they peak at around 7 p.m., Crawford said.

Visitors must enter the viewing area parking lot before 8 p.m. to allow time to hike to the viewing site and back before 10 p.m.

The lava viewing site was opened to the public on March 8, 2008. Through December, 241,806 people visited the site.

The County’s cost to operate the site, including salaries and wages, supplies, toilets, security, phones and other equipment, amounted to $362,006 for the period July through December 2008.

The viewing site is available at no charge to visitors. A voluntary donation box is located at the trailhead.

Visitors should be aware that conditions can change rapidly and that viewing will be closed should any changes occur that will threaten visitors’ safety. A Lava Hotline is updated daily and confirms whether the lava viewing site will be open that day. The telephone number for the Hotline is (808) 961-8093.