From Oprah to Bezos, famous personalities with big homes in Maui but kept mum on wildfires

Death toll climbed to 55 after the Maui wildfire caused heavy devastation in Hawaii damaging hundreds of properties. However, one of the things that is grabbing the attention of the netizens is the part-time houses, billionaires and celebrities owned in the island state. According to The New York Times, these lavish mansions have stirred tension with the locals. While the condition of their homes is still unknown, only a handful of high-profile personalities have publicly commented on the ongoing crisis sparking more condemnation. 

Oprah, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, Clint Eastwood and Steven Tyler are among the big guns with homes on Maui but none have commented on the crisis. While Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' fiancée Lauren Sanchez took to Instagram to express grief, Bezos himself is yet to offer any condolences whatsoever. Here’s a look at popular personalities who call Hawaii their “part-time home”. 

Top shots with homes in Maui 

• Oprah Winfrey - The famous American TV personality has lived in Maui part-time for over 15 years. According to Architectural Digest, her property portfolio of roughly  1,000 acres on the island includes 870 acres in Kula, an area southeast of Lahaina where a rescue operation is still underway. According to The New York Times, During the 2019 Bush fire, they gave local authorities access to private roads on her property assisting them in the evacuation process. 
•  Jeff Bezos - Bezos purchased a 14-acre estate on La Perouse Bay for a whopping $78 million. The bay is less than 20 miles south of the fire in Maui. While Bezos kept mum throughout the whole ordeal, his Lauren Sánchez expressed grief on Threads. “The tragedy unfolding in Maui is beyond heartbreaking. Jeff and I have been on the phone with local residents and officials and will be making donations to help,” she wrote on Threads. 

• Peter Thiel - The founder of Paypal, paid $27 million for a home in Makena which is located on the southwest coast of Maui, The Wall Street Journal reported. 
• Larry Ellison - In 2012, Oracle executive Larry Ellison bought 98% of Lanai which was a Maui County island. Lanai was the same place Bill and Melinda Gates got married back in 1994. 
•  Mick Fleetwood - The drummer from the band Fleetwood Mac said in a Facebook post that his restaurant in Lahaina was destroyed in the Wildfire. “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. On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of Maui. We are committed to supporting the community and those affected by this disaster in the days and months and years to come,” he wrote on Facebook. 

• Other famous personalities: Popular celebrities like Owen Wilson, Steven Tyler and Clint Eastwood owned residential properties on the island. However, all of them are yet to make any statements on the Tragedy. 

On Friday, authorities informed that the death toll in the Maui wildfire has climbed to 55. While officials sent alerts to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations, widespread power and cellular outages are considered one of the major reasons for the devastation. The wildfires are the state’s deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami that killed 61 people.