Oprah Winfrey receives ‘big mahalo’ from Governor Ige for aiding fire evacuations By Danielle Wallace | Fox News
Hawaii’s governor thanked Oprah Winfrey on Twitter late Thursday for granting county officials access to a private road on her ranch property to assist with evacuations after a brush fire swept across Maui hours earlier.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/oprah-immediately-gave-hawaii-officials-access-to-her-private-road-as-an-escape-route-during-maui-fire-she-says
“A big mahalo to @Oprah for giving @mauicounty access to your private road for use to assist in the #Mauifire,” Hawaii Gov. David Igo, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter.
Governor David Ige✔@GovHawaiiA big mahalo to @Oprah for giving @mauicounty access to your private road for use to assist in the #Mauifire https://twitter.com/Oprah/status/1149543001569427461 …Oprah Winfrey✔@Oprah
Hi there Jack, Access to the road was given to county officials immediately. This was many hours ago. Hoping for the safety of all.
https://twitter.com/jacktheman/status/1149493472728010752 …
After the blaze ignited and spread, fire officials ordered thousands of residents to evacuate the Kihei and Maalaea areas, Hawaii News Now reported. Maui officials also closed off highways so fire crews could battle the growing fire. As billows of smoke filled the Hawaiian sky, Twitter users made their appeals to Winfrey to gain access to her private road.
“@Oprah Maui is on fire consider opening the ranch road so we can get upcountry,” Jack Moussally wrote.
“@Oprah Kihei only has one path out right now with this #mauifire. If you can help us out, please do!” Erin Hayden-Baldauf wrote.
A third person even claimed people would “burn to death” if Oprah didn’t open her road to the public.
But the 65-year-old media mogul assured everyone late Thursday that access had been granted.
“This was many hours ago,” she wrote. “Hoping for the safety of all.”
Oprah Winfrey✔@Oprah
Hi there Jack, Access to the road was given to county officials immediately. This was many hours ago. Hoping for the safety of all.jack moussally@jackthemanOprah Maui is on fire consider opening the ranch road so we can get upcountry
Erin Hayden-Baldauf@Hayden_Baldauf@Oprah Kihei only has one path out right now with this #mauifire. If you can help us out, please do! https://twitter.com/jacktheman/status/1149493472728010752 …
jack moussally@jacktheman@Oprah Maui is on fire consider opening the ranch road so we can get upcountry
PedoPartnersCapitalMGMT420@PMgmt420If @Oprah doesn’t open her private road to the public, residents of Kihei (West Maui) may burn to death. There is currently no other safe escape route from Kihei. #mauifire https://twitter.com/jacktheman/status/1149493472728010752 …
jack moussally@jacktheman@Oprah Maui is on fire consider opening the ranch road so we can get upcountry
No fatalities or injuries were immediately reported.
Winfrey reportedly owns 100 acres in the region of Hana and 1,000 acres in Upcountry on the island of Maui. The Maui property includes a 12-room ranch and a four-mile private road, Maui Time reported in 2011.
It was unclear if Oprah was on the island during the fire. She shared two photos on Instagram last week from a Weight Watchers event she said she hosted at her Hawaii ranch, prompting Twitter users to ask for her help Thursday.
NWSHonolulu✔@NWSHonolulu
High resolution imagery from GOES-17 is showing smoke associated with a fire in Maui’s central valley this afternoon. #hiwx
