The devastation came swiftly, as high-powered winds pushed a blazing wildfire across large swaths of Hawaii, wreaking havoc on the island of Maui. Residents found themselves jumping into the ocean to escape in some areas.
Scores of lives were lost as search and rescue workers still tried to find missing people heading into the weekend.
Now, notable wealthy names nave stepped forward to donate to relief funds and recovery efforts.
Images surfaced online of media mogul Oprah Winfrey at an evacuation center at Maui's War Memorial Stadium handing out supplies like pillows. She told the BBC, "I’m really so pleased to have so many people, you know, supporting, and people are just bringing what they can and doing what they can."
On Friday, Jeff Bezos, founder of the online retail behemoth Amazon, announced on his Instagram account, via a message from his fiancee, that he will allocate $100 million in a fund to help Maui and Hawaii recover.
"We are thinking of all the families that have lost so much and a community that has been left devastated," the message read.
Hawaii News Now reported that Bezos owns a "compound" on the island of Maui that is said to be worth around $78 million.
Professional golf player Colin Morikawa said he would donate $1,000 each time he makes a birdie during the PGA Tour this month.
And actor Jason Momoa, who is from Honolulu, amplified messages on how to help and be aware of the situation.
"I urge everyone to stay safe and heed the advice of local authorities. Let us all do our part to prevent the further spread of the fires and support those on the front lines, working tirelessly to protect our homes and natural treasures," he said.
