“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?

Patrick Lambert ( Hawaii Real Estate Expert )

It's important to do your homework...



In Hawaii each section of the island is in a specific lava zone. When purchasing property or a home on the island of Hawaii the lava zone is important because in some areas home owners insurance cannot be had, in some areas the banks will not grant loans. If you are looking to buy in Hawaii make sure you do your homework and find out the facts on lava zones by checking with a local Hawaii Realtor (preferably me!)

Hazard Zones for Lava Flows on the Island of Hawai`i

Hazard zones from lava flows on the Island of Hawai`i are based chiefly on the location and frequency of historic and prehistoric eruptions and the topography of the volcanoes. Scientists have prepared a map that divides the five volcanoes of the Island of Hawai`i into zones that are ranked from 1 through 9 based on the relative likelihood of coverage by lava flows.

Zone Percentage of area covered by lava since 1800 Percentage of area covered by lava in last 750 years Explanation
1 greater than 25 greater than 65 Includes the summits and rift zones of Kilauea and Mauna Loa where vents have been repeatedly active in historic time.
2 15-25 25-75 Areas adjacent to and downslope of active rift zones.
3 1-5 15-75 Areas gradationally less hazardous than Zone 2 because of greater distance from recently active vents and/or because the topography makes it less likely that flows will cover these areas.
4 about 5 less than 15 Includes all of Hualalai, where the frequency of eruptions is lower than on Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Flows typically cover large areas.
5 none about 50 Areas currently protected from lava flows by the topography of the volcano.
6 none very little Same as Zone 5.
7 none none 20 percent of this area covered by lava in the last 10,000 yrs.
8 none none Only a few percent of this area covered in the past 10,000 yrs.
9 none none No eruption in this area for the past 60,000 yrs.

Reference

Wright, T.L., Chu, J.Y., Esposo, J., Heliker, C., Hodge, J., Lockwood, J.P., and Vogt, S.M., 1992, Map showing lava-flow hazard zones, island of Hawaii: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2193, scale 1:250,000.



About Ka'u on the Big Island , South Point Naalehu

About Ka'u Hawai'i
Ka'u (ka-oo) meaning: To be mine...
and it really can be yours.
Ka'u is said to be the landing site of the first Polynesian settlers. Covering over 80 miles of coast south of Kailua-Kona and due west of Hawai'i Volcano's National Park, Ka'u is Hawaii's largest district in terms of land area. Ka'u is filled with history one can see in the many petroglyphs from Miloli'i to Volcano. In the 1960's astronauts trained for lunar missions on the lava fields of Mauna Loa and in the 1860's Mark Twain spent time in Waiohinu, right here in Ka'u, and planted a Monkey Pod tree. (In 1957 the original tree was blown down and a new tree grew from it's sprouts that still stands today). Ka'u today is home to some of nature's most precious gifts. One can almost always see an endangered sea turtle at Punalu'u Black Sand Beach or one can find a real olivine Gem by taking a hike to Green Sands Beach off South Point. For those of us who know better, we have already found our green Gem ... called Ka'u.
www.kaurealtygroup.com
Patrick J. Lambert
Realtor/Salesperson
TOLL FREE 866-7575-PAT
DIRECT LINE 808-937-1188
Century 21 All Islands