(BIVN) – The following is a transcript of the above featured video:
This is Big Island Video News for Thursday, June 4th, 2026. Today, high surf continues to pound the Kona shoreline… A big vote at the Hawaii County Council… and new maps, and video, published on Kilauea volcano’s eruptive activity.
High Surf Hits KonaThe high surf advisory continues for south-facing shores of Hawaii island.
There have been several beach closures this week in Kona.
Video recorded at the popular Fish Hopper restaurant on Aliʻi Drive shows large waves crashing over the seawall, soaking pedestrians and motor vehicles.
The High Surf Advisory issued by the National Weather Service is expected to continue into Thursday evening.
Daniel K. Inouye Highway Closed
There has been another bad accident on the saddle.
Details were sparse at the time of this update.
This message was issued by the Hawaii County Civil Defense:“This is a Civil Defense Road Closure message for Thursday, June 4, at 9:15 AM. The Hawaii Police Department reports that DKI Highway is closed in South Hilo near mile markers 18 due to a Traffic Collision. Please use alternate routes. You will be informed as conditions change. This is your Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.” – Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense radio message.
Hawaiʻi County General Plan 2045
The Hawaiʻi County Council voted to adopt a new general plan during its meeting in Hilo on Wednesday, despite vocal opposition from the public.The council heard hours of public testimony prior to the vote, most of it against Bill 66, which establishes the Hawaiʻi County General Plan 2045, a document that guides future land use on Hawaiʻi island.
“I’m in opposition of the general plan, Bill 66, and it’s because of I don’t want to change the ag to natural.” – Emily Naeole, testimony in opposition
“This area is being re-zoned for natural use, which means where I live, I will not be able to live, this means everything I have ever worked for to have a place to live for my family, to have a place to live for me to grow food, I will not be able to do that here anymore if this plan is selected. So I strongly oppose.” – Seraph D’Alerta, testimony in opposition via Zoom
“Here’s a little timeline of the general plan. Somehow this general plan review process started in 2015, but that was with General Plan 2040. Somehow that plan went through all these, you know, hundreds of meetings and all this stuff, but yet it dies in COVID, and all of a sudden now we’re renewed and we have this new General Plan that nobody commented on. All the comments kind of moved up from the comments before. I just think that this was not done properly.” – Sara Steiner, testimony in opposition
“It has to be continued to be mentioned that it’s unforgivable in my opinion and I think in process that Hilo has no community development plan since 1976.” – Kevin Hill, testimony in opposition via Zoom
“The opposition is based on fundamental misunderstanding of what a general plan is and what a general plan does. This general plan will not change what anybody can do on their property now. It will not change what anybody can do on their property in the future. Unless you’re the one – maybe, part of the 1% of property owners who will seek a re-zoning sometime, or who may seek a special permit or some other kind of land use permit that requires you to come before the county council or the planning commissions. It won’t change. It won’t make you drive a certain type of car. It won’t make you live in a certain type of community if you don’t want to live there.” – Chris Yuen, testimony in support
“I do not believe that this plan will hurt any of you in the ways that you anticipate.” – Hawaiʻi County Councilmember Heather Kimball
“I do not want to settle for a document with acknowledged mapping errors and admissions that portions of our plan were drafted by artificial intelligence. ‘It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough’ is a standard that I personally cannot accept as someone that was born and raised here.” – Hawaiʻi County Councilmember Ashley Kierkiewicz
The council voted 5 to 3 in favor of Bill 66 on final reading. The bill now goes to the Hawaiʻi County Mayor for his signature.
Kilauea Volcano Update
The eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano remains paused. Re-inflation indicates another episode of lava fountaining is likely, probably 10 to 15 days from now.The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory posted two new maps of the Kīlauea summit in the wake of episode 48 which occurred earlier this week.
This map shows ground movement and earthquakes between May 25th and June 2nd. 53 earthquakes, most smaller than magnitude-2, occurred at depths up to 1 mile below the ground surface beneath the south rim of crater towards the end of the episode. An area along the south rim of the crater also rose by several inches, which could be related to magma movement.
Another map shows lava flow and tephra accumulation at the summit during the same time period.
And finally, a new Observatory webcam video showing a prominent whirlwind at the Kilauea, after episode 48 concluded. Heavy rain at the summit following nine hours of lava fountaining created the perfect, steamy conditions for the small twister. Scientists say these features are commonly observed during and directly after eruptive events and form in part because of hot air rising from the ground surface.
