Oprah Conspiracy Theory Takes Off After Maui Wildfire Response Backlash

An unsubstantiated online conspiracy theory is blaming Oprah Winfrey for the devastating wildfires in Maui, where the TV host owns a property.

Wildfires began sweeping through the Hawaiian island last week, fueled by Hurricane Dora. The number of fatalities stands at 111 so far, with over 1,000 people still missing.

West Maui in particular was ravaged by blazes, including the seaside town of Lahaina, an hour away from where the 69-year-old Winfrey owns a ranch.

The media mogul was spotted supporting survivors at an emergency shelter at Wailuku’s War Memorial Complex, where a CBS News crew filmed her handing out supplies. However, she was slammed for attempting to bring cameras inside the evacuation center. The CBS news crew was denied entry by staff members, but Winfrey later returned alone to help out.

The incident led to swift backlash online, with one social media user seeming to accuse the star of sparking the wildfires near her property in a bid to purchase land for herself. The former talk show host currently owns 2,000 acres of land on Maui, including 897 acres of agricultural land purchased earlier this year for $6.6 million.

“Oprah Winfrey Has Been Buying Up Land in Maui Like Crazy,” Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) declared in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on August 14.

“IN THE LAST FEW YEARS SHE HAS GONE FROM ABOUT 100 ACRES OF LAND IN MAUI TO OVER 1000 ACRES!

“Then All of A Sudden Out of Nowhere A Fire Comes And Destroys Many Homes Near Her But Her Land Remains Untouched!

“SOUND FAMILIAR?!?!?!”

Wallace hinted that the star may have been responsible for the 2017 fires in California that destroyed more than 700 properties near Winfrey’s Montecito home. Her estate was not damaged in the blaze, although she was forced to evacuate the area.

“HER PROPERTY REMAINED UNTOUCHED!!!!!” Wallace said.

“AFTER 2017 OPRAH CONTINUED EXPANDING HER LAND IN MONTECITO TO OVER 70 ACRES… WAKE UP!!!!!!”

Wallace’s post has gone viral, receiving 12 million views, almost 70,000 likes and 25,000 reposts. However, other X users have jumped to the defense of the TV personality and there is no evidence to suggest Winfrey was behind the fires.

“To all of the X users who are pushing a conspiracy theory that Oprah Winfrey is somehow responsible for the Maui, Hawaii wildfires because her estate didn’t burn down, just STOP!” wrote Ed (@EdKrassen).

“Oprah has literally been on the ground helping people. To make up a conspiracy theory without a shred of evidence is both irresponsible and disgusting. You’re better than this,” he wrote.

So far, Winfrey’s ranch appears to have survived the Maui wildfires. The star has split her time between her main base in Montecito and her Hawaiian property since 2003.

Although her exact address is unconfirmed, her Maui home is located near the Kula Forest Reserve in the island’s southwest.