Some in Hawaii’s eruption zone planning to ‘stick it out’

PAHOA, Hawaii — Edwin Montoya’s family carved its farm on the slopes of the Kilauea volcano out of “raw jungle,” transforming it into a fertile collection of gardens, animal pens and fruit trees.

Now the property is imperiled by the very land it stands upon. A couple of miles up the hill, lava has destroyed dozens of homes, and his daughter’s farm is in an evacuation zone.

Despite the nearby danger, Montoya plans to stay unless he is forced to leave.

“I’m going to go ahead and stick it out,” he said. “If it happens, if it blows its top and I’m there at the time ... I’m 76 years old. I’ve lived a good life.”

Because there’s no indication when the eruption might stop, or how far the lava might spread, the volcano has forced people living in and around the Leilana Estates subdivision to make tough decisions.

Some residents insist on staying to watch over their property. Others have abandoned their homes without knowing when they will be able to return, or if they will come back to find their houses turned to ash and buried under solid rock.

Authorities urged Scott Wiggers to evacuate, but he refused.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige told evacuees he has called the White House and the Federal Emergency Management Authority to tell officials that he believes the state will need federal help.

Authorities are allowing some evacuees to return briefly each day to gather medicine, pets and other necessities.

On Sunday, the first day residents were allowed back in, a cellphone alert went out urging people to leave after a vent opened up and began spewing sulfur dioxide.