A U.S. Forest Service contract helicopter scoops up 100 gallons of water to douse hot spots of a brush fire at the perimeter of a recent lava flow at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Photo by Sue Exline

The water drops were an effort to protect animals and rare native plants in the park's 2,700-acre East Rift Special Ecological Area.

About seven acres have burned or been scorched by the lava and fires started by the short-lived flow, and vegetation on another 20 acres has wilted or died off because of fumes and volcanic gases released from new cracks that broke open in the East Rift last week.

Firefighters have set up five "frog ponds" that can hold up to 15,500 gallons of water at the Mauna Ulu parking lot to use in additional water drops if necessary.

If lava flows resume in the area, national park officials say, they plan to fight any brush fires started by the lava to protect the remaining rainforest.

The eruption continued its pause yesterday with no lava flowing on the surface or into the sea.