If it were a bulldozer plunging through some of the state's most pristine native forest on Kilauea's east rift zone, the uproar from the community would be deafening.

But it's Pele, and there isn't much anyone can do.

Last week's new phase in Kilauea's eruption pushed molten rock out into a forest that the National Park Service has designed a special ecological area. The lava oozed out of a new crack that formed in the forest near Kane Nui o Hamo, about four miles east of the Chain of Craters Road, and about midway between that road and Pu'u 'O'o, where all the eruptive activity has been centered for the past several years.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park biologist Rhonda Loh has flown over the fire site. She said about seven acres has been either covered by lava or severely scorched by heat and the acidity caused when volcanic fumes mix with moisture.

"It's a beautiful, old 'ohi'a forest, with a nice understory of native trees, including a lot of 'olapa, alani and kolea," Loh said.

On the ground are native ferns, orchids, mints and lobelias, some of them quite rare, she said.

Park workers have been working to keep alien invaders, including pigs and foreign plants, out of the area.

Much of the native forest up and down Kilauea's east rift zone is severely damaged by the volcano. The flows from the Kupa'ianaha and Pu'u 'O'o vents have created a field of rock that cover almost all of a slope as much as eight miles wide. In the early days of this 24-year-old eruption, you could see steam hissing from the edges of the fast-moving flows as lava poured through the forest. There would be the dull thuds described as methane explosions, and the louder blasts of trees exploding.

As of late last week, this latest eruption was much more modest — just some oozing that started and ended in the same evening.

Park officials, concerned that fire may spread through the treasured forest region, have set up a water station, so helicopter water drops can be used if needed. They are near enough to the outbreak for ready access by helicopter, but far enough to be out of the eruption danger zone, Loh said.

The weather during the early days after the Kane Nui o Hamo eruption was favorable for protecting the forest, she said.

"We've been fortunate. We've had morning and evening showers. But we're heading into a drier period, so we've set up a water pond and dip station," she said.

"We'll be watching it."

If you have a question or concern about the Hawaiian environment, drop a note to Jan TenBruggencate at P.O. Box 524, Lihu'e, HI 96766 or jant@honoluluadvertiser.com. Or call him at (808) 245-3074.