Oprah Winfrey didn’t refuse road access to Hawaii evacuees during tsunami warnings

After an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast caused tsunami warnings in Hawaii and across the Pacific, social media attention turned to Hawaii property owner and media magnate Oprah Winfrey.

But Winfrey did not make evacuations harder for Maui residents, contrary to social media claims.

Maui Emergency Management Agency issued July 29 evacuation orders for all people in coastal areas to move inland to higher ground. As evacuations started, social media users said Winfrey had not opened her supposedly private road for evacuees.

A July 30 X post includes a video of vehicles in bumper-to-bumper traffic at what appears to be the Alanui Ke'ali'i road in Kihei, Maui. The post, which received a community note, says, "People in Maui, Hawaii are trying to escape the tsunami and are BEGGING Oprah to open the private road on her property. She’s reportedly still refusing."

Conservative podcast host Nick Sortor shared the same video in a July 29 X post that had more than 14 million views as of the morning of July 30.

"BREAKING: Oprah HAS NOT opened her private road from Wailea to Kula, Hawaii, which would allow coastal folks to reach higher ground quickly, locals tell me," Sortor wrote in the caption. "Open The Road, @OPRAH! Roads on Maui are Gridlocked as people try to escape the incoming Tsunami." It was unclear whether Sortor posted before the road had been opened.

Later, on a July 30 X post, Sortor acknowledged that the road had been opened, although he said that happened "following intense public pressure," which evidence does not support.

The claim about Winfrey’s supposed refusal to open the road also spread on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.

Winfrey’s spokesperson told PolitiFact on July 30 that the claims are inaccurate. In a followup statement after the story’s publication, the spokesperson said Winfrey isn’t the road’s owner.

The spokesperson said the road is owned by Haleakalā Ranch. Winfrey has an easement agreement with the ranch that allows her, as a landowner along the easement, to use and improve the road.

The spokesperson said opening the road is the landowner’s responsibility, and the owner worked with local officials and Winfrey’s staff to open the road when the tsunami warning was issued. The spokesperson initially said when Winfrey’s team learned of the tsunami warnings, they contacted local law enforcement and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure the road was opened. 

The Maui Police Department also reported in a July 29 alert that "Oprah’s road is open to get (to) Upcountry."

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Winfrey has lived on Maui part-time for over 15 years and was the subject of misinformation during 2023 wildfires on the island. She purchased about 870 acres of agricultural land in the island’s Kula region for $6.6 million in December 2022 and February 2023, according to Maui Now. She also owns land in Maui’s Hāna.

The road on Winfrey’s property has also been opened during other emergencies.

In 2019, former Hawaii Gov. David Igo thanked Winfrey on X for helping with access to the private road to Maui County officials during fires. 

The tsunami’s first waves hit Russia and Japan, then reached Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. 

The Hawaii tsunami warnings were eventually downgraded to an advisory. Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Administrator James Barros advised those who had evacuated that they could return home.

We rate claims that Winfrey refused to open her private road during the tsunami warning evacuation Pants on Fire! 

CORRECTION, July 31, 2025: This story was corrected to include clarifying information about the road’s ownership that Winfrey’s staff provided after the story’s publication. The rating remains unchanged.