Oprah Winfrey’s Camera Crew Denied Access to Maui Shelter For Wildfire Survivors

It looks like Oprah Winfrey was allowed into a Hawaiian emergency center, after all — except her camera crew was forced to wait outside.

The award-winning journalist paid a visit to the War Memorial Complex in Wailuku on Sunday (Aug. 13), where survivors of the Maui wildfires are currently sheltering. However, she was reportedly nearly denied entry after she showed up with a CBS News camera crew.

According to a statement reported by Deadline, Winfrey’s camera crew was denied access because of a policy that bars media from entering emergency shelters.

“We welcome Oprah to continue to uplift our community’s spirit and give her aloha to victims of the tragic disaster and appreciate her understanding of our policy of no camera crews or reporters in our emergency shelters. Mahalo,” the statement read.

Later on, the County of Maui’s Facebook page clarified that Winfrey was allowed into the shelter once she asked her camera crew to wait outside.

Photo: Getty Images

“To clarify, Oprah was able to visit our shelter and we thank her for instructing media journalists and camera crews to remain outside,” the statement said.

It continued, “Her visit inside of the shelter today was truly heartwarming and we appreciate her understanding of our policy of having no camera crews or reporters accompanying dignitaries and celebrities in our emergency shelters.” 

Winfrey —  who has been a part-time resident of Maui for more than 15 years and owns nearly 1,000 acres of land on the island —  visited the shelter days before to speak to survivors and help them get supplies, according to The New York Times.

“I came earlier just to see what people needed, and then went shopping because often you make donations of clothes or whatever and it’s not really what people need,” she said in a video interview with BBC. “I actually went to Walmart and Costco and got pillows, shampoo, diapers, sheets, pillowcases.”

The Maui wildfires, which began nearly a week ago, have quickly become the deadliest natural disaster in the state’s history after claiming the lives of 96 people as of this morning, with many still missing.

The American Red Cross, Hawai’i Community Foundation and Maui United Way are all currently accepting donations to help those affected by the wildfires.