Oprah Winfrey visits Maui wildfire evacuees

Talk show billionaire Oprah Winfrey was spotted at evacuee shelters on Maui on Friday after wildfires destroyed entire sections of the Hawaiian island.

At least 55 people have died in the fires, Hawaiian officials said, and the tourist town of Lahaina, on the island’s west coast, was effectively wiped off the map.

Oprah shopped for supplies for evacuees and donated her time to help those in need.

“Oprah has been to several local shelters to ask first-hand what was most needed,” her spokesperson told CNN. “She then went to Walmart and Costco to shop for the items and brought them back. It is heart-breaking devastation.” 

Videos posted to social media showed the entertainment mogul delivering supplies including cots, bedding and toiletries.

President Biden signed a disaster declaration for Hawaii on Friday, allowing federal disaster aid to flow onto the island.

“The closest thing I can compare it to is perhaps a war zone or maybe a bomb went off. It was cars in the street, doors open, you know, melted to the ground. Most structures no longer exist,” Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said. “For blocks and blocks of this.”