Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense, along with partner organizations such as the Red Cross and CERT, is opening a Tephra Information Center at the Cooper Center in Volcano today from 12–4 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. to help residents with guidance on tephra cleanup, water catchment protection, and requests for assistance following episode 43 of the Kīlauea volcano eruption.

Requests for assistance can also be made via the Civil Defense website.

Episode 43 began Tuesday at 9:17 a.m. Pele’s hair and fine ash was reported in Hilo and Puna. Larger tephra fell near the volcano, including particles up to 3 inches in diameter in Volcano Village and Mauna Loa Estates, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

NAS Swimming Pool, Charles “Sparky” Kawamoto Swim Stadium, and Pāhoa Community Aquatic Center are closed until further notice to allow the pools to be cleaned of tephra, such as Pele’s hair and ash.

Volcanic tephra, including ash, can irritate eyes, skin, and the respiratory system. .

Tephra also can clog and cause other problems with water catchment collection systems.