A matter of time

On Hawaii, someone had the bright idea to build a few homes in an area bordering a national park.  The national park that this subdivision bordered on just happened to be Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on the Big Island, next to the most active volcano on Earth.

Perhaps not a good idea.

Especially when Kilauea embarked on its ongoing and going and going Pu'u O'o flank eruption.  Not only have the lava flows from this event wiped out some of the most postcard-worthy black sand beaches on the Big Island (Kalapana), they also consumed all of the houses save one in the subdivision, which was called "Royal Gardens".   I think it's more appropriately termed "Royal Pahoehoe" now, because there aren't many gardens on the lava fields.

The most recent picture from the Hawaii Volcano Observatory shows just how close the current  lava flows are to the last occupied, make that the last existing, home in the Royal Gardens.  It's located just above the 'P' in Plumeria in the picture at the link below.  Hard to see how anyone living there could sleep soundly.  And plus, those lava flows emit some pretty annoying gases, not much fun to breathe.  It might not be me, but I'd at least have an apartment in the city ready, just in case.

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/archive/2011/Mar/20120224_overlay_L.jpg