Lava may cut off U.S. community

• Lava from a vent has come within a mile of the edge of the Ka'ohe Homesteads subdivision


• Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi declares an emergency, asks Gov. Neil Abercrombie for help


• U.S. Geological Survey says the lava could reach a subdivision boundary in less than a week


• No evacuations have been ordered, but access to roadways to the community is restricted

(CNN) -- The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has issued a warning for a Big Island beach community threatened to be cut off by lava flow from Kilauea Volcano.

Lava from a vent that opened on June 27 has come within a mile of the edge of the Ka'ohe Homesteads subdivision in the District of Puna, northeast of the volcano, Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi said.

Kenoi signed an emergency proclamation Thursday and asked Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie for emergency assistance.

"We are taking this step to ensure our residents have time to prepare their families, their pets, and their livestock for a safe and orderly evacuation from Ka'ohe in the event the flow continues to advance," Kenoi said in a news release.

Fountains of lava spurt from a fissure in the ground on the north side of the Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland on Tuesday, September 2.

Fluid lava streams on Monday, September 1, from a flow that began erupting in June from the Kilauea volcano in Pahoa, Hawaii.

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A villager in Karo, Indonesia, bathes in a river while Mount Sinabung erupts, spewing lava and giant clouds of ash on January 21.

Mount Etna, as seen from the town of Acireale, Italy, spews lava during an eruption on November 16.

Smoke and ash spew from Mount Sakurajima, in Kagoshima, Japan, in October.

Lava from the Puu Oo cone of the Kilauea volcano reaches the Pacific Ocean on the southeastern coast of Hawaii Island in January 2013. Puu Oo has been erupting for more than 30 years. This eruption, on the volcano's east rift, began in January 1983.

The Karymsky volcano erupts in Kamchatka, Russia, in January 2013.

The Copahue volcano emits smoke and ash above Caviahue, in Argentina's Neuquen province, in December 2012.

Western Mexico's Colima volcano emits lava in October 2004. The Global Volcanism Program reported "a bright thermal anomaly" as well as gas emission in November.

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Recently active volcanoes

Photos: Recently active volcanoes

Fiery volcano erupts in Papua New Guinea

Highway 130 separates the district of Puna from the rest of the county. The U.S. Geological Survey predicted the lava could cross the highway in the next week.

"We project that lava could reach the Kaohe Homesteads boundary within 5 to 7 days," the USGS said Thursday. Since July 10, the lava has advanced at an average rate of 820 feet per day, but as fast as 1,600 feet per day, the agency said.

"When this occurs, communities south of the crossing will be isolated from the rest of the county," Kenoi said.

The Icelandic town frozen in time by a volcano

Evacuations had not been ordered as of Friday morning, but Hawaii County's civil defense restricted access to roads to the Ka'ohe community, civil defense administrator Darryl Oliveira said.

"Only residents will be allowed on the subdivision roads starting today, and we ask that nonresidents stay away from the area," Oliveira said. "The lava cannot be seen from the subdivision, and there is no reason for nonresidents to be in the Ka'ohe subdivision at this time."

Volcano erupts in Papua New Guinea

More than 8,211 people live in the threatened area, according to a 2010 census.

Kilauea Volcano has been active since 1983, with 61 USGS-recorded eruptions. "Kilauea ranks among the world's most active volcanoes and may even top the list," the agency said.

In 1983, lava from Kilauea destroyed 16 homes in the Royal Gardens subdivision, a community built on a slope downhill from the volcano. Today, only 35% of the abandoned development can be seen. Lava overran the rest of the community.

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