(BIVN) – John Peard with the Hawaii Department of Health gave the Puna community an update Tuesday evening on the dangers of volcanic gas, as well the effort to monitor air quality in the lower East Rift Zone.

In a Tuesday morning update, Hawaii County Civil Defense said:

• Hawaii County, state Department of Health, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are working together to increase air quality monitoring activity.
• New equipment will be added throughout the Rift Zone to monitor for hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. No hydrogen sulfide has been detected at this time.
• Information gathered from the monitors will be used by Civil Defense and first responders to provide updates to the public.
• Residents can learn more about current sulfur dioxide emission levels and forecasts by visiting the University of Hawaii’s Vog Measurement and Prediction Project website.