The active volcano in Hawaii, Mount Kilauea, is spewing lava and ash, making a part of the island that once was the background of your vacation postcards look like an apocalyptic war zone.

For a state that runs on being one of the most prized summer locations, the natural disaster is not great for finances. Lynne Koontz, a National Park System economist, told the New York Times that the local economy is losing $455,000 per day because of the eruption.

Though pictures of the scene look daunting, you may not have to unpack your bags just yet. The Hawaiian islands are much larger than you may think, and some simple geography shows it.

Janine Krippner, a volcanist from Concord University, put the size of the eruption in perspective by sharing these photos. She wrote, "The #Kilauea eruption is affecting people. People are losing their homes. This is serious.
But this is a big island and this eruption is being exaggerated just a little, don't ya think?"

The #Kilauea eruption is affecting people. People are losing their homes. This is serious.

But this is a big island and this eruption is being exaggerated just a little, don't ya think?
Thank you, who ever made this image: pic.twitter.com/O6MJxY4N5q

— Dr Janine Krippner (@janinekrippner) May 23, 2018

Also, if your tickets are for any island other than the Big Island, the only heat you'll feel will be from the sun. Honolulu, Oahu is located more than 200 mi from the volcano. To put that in perspective, that is a farther distance than New York City to Boston. And the green, tropical island of Kauai is even farther away.

While volcanic activity is surely not something to take lightly, you may be able to keep the Hawai'ian vacation you've been saving for.