Volcano Update

The Big Island of Hawai’i is the largest island in the United States. At over 4,000 square miles, it is larger than Delaware, Rhode Island, and Washington DC combined. The Big Island has two active volcanoes. Kilauea (the most active of the two) has been nearly continuously erupting for over 100 years. The other is Mauna Loa which last erupted for a few weeks in 2022. Since 2004 we’ve experienced several volcanic related events — in all cases our operations were not affected.

No. Both Kilauea and Mauna Loa are shield volcanos, and unlike a stratovolcano, they are not at risk of large scale violent eruptions.

Volcanos are rated by the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI).  The scale is between 0-10 and all Hawaiian volcanos are rated as zero (0).

Hawaii is home to the most studied and monitored volcanic system in the world, and even has it’s own sub-classification (Hawaiian Eruption) defined by it’s gentle flow and eruptive nature.

• How is air quality being impacted at PQ campuses specifically?
  Operating near a volcano in the Pacific has always meant that our air quality can vary based on conditions. It is important to note that the air quality on Hawaii Island is still better than many places around the world. Here is a map of the current Air Quality Index. Air on Hawai’i Island is most typically between “Good” and “Moderate.”

• What about Sulfur Levels and VOG?
  The term ‘vog’ refers to the hazy air pollution caused by the volcanic emissions from Kīlauea & Mauna Loa volcanos, which are primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas. The trade winds blow most VOG from Kilauea to the Kona side of the island and other islands, such as Oahu. We are monitoring SO2 levels and these also most commonly fluctuate between “Good” and “Moderate.”

• What about “Laze”?
  This effect is a result of Lava coming into contact with saltwater, and is isolated to the immediate area surrounding where an active lava flow enters the ocean — when this has happened, it has been far away from our campuses.

• What about Volcanic Ash?
  We closely monitor fpr instances of wind-driven ash from any eruption. We are prepared to move to indoor programming if there is a need at any time.