SparkyLeigh's photostream  

Lava rivers dwarf the remaining forest beyond; shot at the remnants of Royal Gardens subdivision on the south slopes of Hawaii Island.

The lava is erupting from the Pu`u O`o Crater four miles upslope and being carried down through self created tubes of insulating crusted & cooler lava. The yellow-white fluid lava is close to 1200 degree's celsius, or about 2000 degree fahrenheit.

This form of lava is named a`a, and is very rough and jumbly as it moves and cools, and can move rapidly at times, especially down steep ground. It can become like shards of glass when it becomes solid.

In this area, a large section of old growth forest was decimated in just one night. You can see this in action in my 2-minute video clip posted on YouTube here. (same vid as in my last post for those who already saw it).

And below is another photo taken a short ways above the steeper rivers of rock.

This tree's top hung swaying in the wind as lava rivers poured across its trunk.
Goes with my caption for following post

One of the photos taken while filming this video (a part of a new feature lava movie I am working on -- by the way, I am seeking both funding and technical support for this project, please email me if you would like more information or have suggestions: leigh.hi1@hawaiiantel.net - Or you can read more about this on the right side of my Hawaiian Lava Daily blog. )

The forest in the back is actually tall old growth, which gives the massive size of this lava field some perspective.
Another shot below:

Goes with this story.

Watch this scene come alive on this short very YouTube video taken a few days ago along the south shores of the Island of Hawaii.