kilauea is e fusive not explosive like mount st. helens.iles away, kalapana's not in imminent danger, that is until something changes. >> late 1986. it stopped high fountaining and it started to form lava flows and lava tubes which is the transportation system that allows the lava to go long distances. >> because of this new tube formation in 1986 the lava flowing from kiluaea has a greater reach putting nearby towns on high alert. many residents of kalapana have a theological explanation for all of this. some hawaiians traditionally attribute the predictable volcanic activity to the goddess pele. >> the fire goddess in hawaiian mythology it is the manifestation of pele. when she's active, it's obvious why the hawaiians gave that because it looks like it's alive. >> kilauea continues to pump out lava and for three years residents live with on again/off again lava flows that once reach into their community causing some isolated destruction. but then in june of 1989, the lava creeps to within a mile and a half of the village, and by the time