Oprah Winfrey hands out essential supplies during severe Hawaii wildfires
Entertainment mogul went shopping for essentials for those impacted by island blaze
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Your support makes all the difference.Oprah Winfrey has been helping those affected by the Hawaiian wildfires by providing necessary supplies at a support centre.
Since Tuesday night (8 August), wild blazes have ravaged Maui and Hawaii’s Big Island. As of Thursday evening (10 August), 55 people had been confirmed dead.
You can keep up with regular updates here.
The wildfires have destroyed more than 1,700 properties on the Hawaiian islands and have led to the evacuation of at least 14,000 people from Maui.
Winfrey, 69, has lived in Maui part-time for more than 15 years and owns around 1,000 acres of land on the island.
On Thursday, she visited people sheltering at the War Memorial Stadium in Maui and was seen handing out pillows, along with other items.
When asked by reporters what the experience felt like, the former talk show host admitted it was “overwhelming” but was heartened to see people pulling together at a difficult time.
“I’m really pleased to have so many people supporting... bringing what they can and doing what they can.”
She continued: “I came earlier just to see what people needed then went shopping because often, you know, you make donations of clothes or whatever and it's not really what people need.
“So I actually went to Walmart and Costco and got pillows, shampoo, diapers, sheets, pillowcases.”
The historic town of Lahaina in Maui has been completely devastated by the wildfires, with more than 1,700 buildings and billions of dollars in property destroyed.
“It’s all gone. None of it’s there. It’s all burnt to the ground,” Maui Mayor Richard Bissen confirmed.
Though it’s not known what started the fires, a combination of dry weather and heavy winds coming from Hurricane Dora off the islands’ coast is thought to have contributed to the ongoing blaze.
Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood is another celebrity who has expressed upset at the wildfires. In a social media post, the British musician said that his Maui restaurant, Fleetwood’s on Front Street had burned down.
“Fleetwood’s on Front Street has been lost and while we are heartbroken, our main priority is the safety of our dear staff and team members,” he wrote. “On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of Maui.”
Elsewhere, Hawaiian actor Jason Momoa shared that he was “devastated and heartbroken” about the events.
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