Hawaii residents worry as lava nears highway

SHOTLIST:RESTRICTION SUMMARY:ASSOCIATED PRESSHilo, Hawaii - 1 December 20221. Hawaiian flag in front of Saddle RoadHEADLINE: Hawaii residents worry as lava nears highwayANNOTATION: Lava from Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano is creeping toward Saddle Road and could block the highway. That possibility concerns Big Island residents.2. Highway with volcano in background3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sky Makai, Hilo resident who works in Kona: ++STARTS ON SHOT 2++"When I think about how it's going to affect me, it's really devastating. I know that I'll still be able to work but it's going to be way harder. I don't know many people who have a four-hour commute, eight hours in a day. So just trying to imagine that is pretty hard."4. Street sign5. Cars on highway6. SOUNDBITE (English) Hayley Hina Barcia, Hilo resident:++STARTS ON SHOT 4/OVERLAYS SHOT 5/ENDS ON SHOT 10++"The Saddle Road is the main artery of this island. We use it to connect to both parts of the island. I surf. To go to that side, we're looking at having to go way farther around. A lot of my family is on the Puna side and we have other family in Kona. We use this road to see each other, especially with the holidays coming up, to, together and spend time, so we're looking to have to go several hours longer to go the south way or taking the north road."7. Concrete shoulder along highway8. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Brown, Kona resident: ++ENDS ON SHOT 9++"We have such limited roadways on this island and any time we lose a roadway, it just shifts all that traffic to somewhere else. Everybody on this island loves this highway. It's great for all of us."9. Wide of highway10. Sign reading (English) "TODAY'S FIRE RISK, EXTREME" STORYLINE:The spectacle of incandescent lava spewing from Hawaii's Mauna Loa has drawn thousands of visitors and is turning into a tourism boon for this Big Island town near the world’s largest volcano.But this week thousands of cars have created traffic jams on Route 200, known as the Saddle Road, which connects the cities of Hilo on the east side of Hawaii Island and Kailua-Kona on the west side. Volcanic flows pose a potential future threat to that main artery but are currently still several miles (kilometers) away and not a danger to any communities. That means onlookers can take in the spectacle while exposing themselves to little danger. Tourists and locals are in the crowds, many snapping photos and taking selfies.Ken Hon, scientist in charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, said the flow has “slowed considerably” and on Thursday was 3.3 miles (5.3 kilometers) south of the highway. At that rate, he said, it would be at least a week before it arrives.A blockage of the road would pose problems, especially for those who use it to commute from Hilo and other parts of the island's east side, where housing is generally more affordable, to jobs on the west side, home to many of the larger beach resorts. ===========================================================Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.