Finding paradise on a volcano’s slopes

Cheap land, lush setting bring many to Kilauea

PAHOA, Hawaii — As lava crawled down Leilani Road, Cheryl Griffith stood in its path and placed a plant in a crack in the ground as an offering to the Native Hawaiian volcano goddess, Pele.

Griffith lives in Leilani Estates, a subdivision on the Big Island where molten rock from the Kilauea volcano has burst through the ground, destroying more than two dozen homes and resulting in evacuation orders for nearly 2,000 people. But the 61-year-old did not leave.

“I love this place, and I’ve been around the volcano for a while,” Griffith said. “I’m just not one to rush off.”

For many people outside Hawaii, it’s hard to understand why anyone would risk living near an active volcano with such destructive power. But the slopes of Kilauea offer affordable land and a lush rural setting that attract a hardy breed of independent Hawaiian. The landscape contrasts sharply with the state’s more expensive real estate on Oahu and Maui, and the bustling capital of Honolulu.

Amber Makuakane, a 37-year-old teacher and single mother of two, lost her three-bedroom house to the lava. She grew up here and lived in the house for nine years.

“The volcano and the lava — it’s always been a part of my life,” she said. “It’s devastating … but I’ve come to terms with it.”

On Sunday, some of the more than 1,700 people who evacuated were allowed to return briefly to gather medicine, pets and other necessities.

The subdivision lies within the Puna District, a region of mostly unpaved roads of volcanic rock about a 30-minute drive from the coastal town of Hilo. Everyone in the district lives on the volcano.

The people here are largely self-sufficient and understand the risks of their location. Many cannot get homeowner’s insurance.

Griffith said that is the hardest part of this lifestyle — they won’t be able to recoup losses.

Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and has been erupting continuously since 1983. There’s no indication when this particular lava flow might stop or how far it might spread. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey expect the flow to continue until more magma is drained from the system.