Hawaii County mayor Billy Kenoi declared a state of emergency Thursday as a lava flow approached a remote home subdivision.
The U.S. Geological Survey also raised the volcano alert level Thursday from a watch to warning.
The lava began flowing June 27 from Kīlauea, a shield volcano that includes the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater.
Most of the time, lava from Kīlauea has flowed south, but the current flow is heading east.
The lava is advancing at an average rate of about 820 feet per day.
The lava is rising up from cracks in the ground, cutting charred scars through the thick forest in the process.