Hawaii wildfires: Actor, Hawaii native, Jason Momoa urges tourists to stay away from Maui

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Actor Jason Momoa, who is also a native of Hawaii, is urging visitors to not come to Maui as the island is dealing with the deadly wildfires that have swept through over the last week.

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Momoa, 44, has been spreading awareness on social media, specifically on his Instagram account, over the last week following the deadly wildfires in Maui, which hit the town of Lahaina the hardest. According to the Los Angeles Times, Momoa is trying to urge tourists to steer clear of the area.

“Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now,” Momoa said on Instagram. “Do not convince yourself that your presence is needed on an island that is suffering this deeply. Mahalo to everyone who has donated and shown aloha to the community in this time of need.”

Momoa reposted photos from an organization called ‘Āina Momona, according to Variety. What he reported explains the devastation happening on the island.

“On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, a terrible combination of drought conditions and hurricane weather led to widespread wildfires across the island of Maui,” ‘Āina Momona wrote, according to Variety.

Momoa’s post also included multiple organizations looking for donations including ActBlue Emergency Fundraiser for Maui Fire and the Hawai’i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.”

Momoa is known for his roles in “Aquaman,” and “Game of Thrones.” He was born in Honolulu. According to Variety, he moved to Iowa but eventually returned to Hawaii for school at the University of Hawaii.

“What we saw was likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a public briefing Thursday, according to the Times. As death tolls continue to climb in the area, the wildfires have been marked as the deadliest in over a century in the United States, according to The Associated Press.