Paris Hilton Slammed as ‘Tone Deaf’ for Vacationing in Maui Following Wildfires

Paris Hilton is getting major backlash for vacationing on the beaches of Maui, Hawaii, just 30 miles away from the town of Lahaina, where the wildfire death toll continues to rise to at least 99 people as dangerous fires continue to burn in spots across the island. The socialite was photographed having a beach day at a resort in Wailea with her husband, Carter Reum, and their 6-month-old son, Phoenix, in photos obtained by the Daily Mail.

Meanwhile, the community of Maui is trying to put the pieces back together after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than 100 years, which Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said caused damages totaling around $6 billion and will likely go down as the largest natural disaster in the state’s history.

Sunday, Hilton did share two posts from the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Instagram with information about how to donate to people who were affected by the fires, but the gesture wasn’t enough for many people, who slammed her for not leaving the island. “Paris Hilton is vacationing in Maui at a resort 30 min from Lahaina,” one person tweeted Sunday. “Imagine watching thousands of ppl lose their homes, loved ones, families etc and then expecting them to SERVE YOU DRINKS WHILE U FROLIC ON THE BEACH IN FRONT OF THEM.”

Hilton’s Maui appearance came just days after the Hawaii Tourism Authority publicly urged tourists not to come to Hawaii right now and asked those already vacationing on Maui to leave the island. “In the days and weeks ahead, our collective resources and attention must be focused on the recovery of residents and communities that were forced to evacuate their homes and businesses,” read their statement released Wednesday. “Visitors who have travel plans to West Maui in the coming weeks are encouraged to consider rescheduling their travel plans for a later time.”

Jason Momoa, who is a native Hawaiian, is one of the many celebrities sharing information in support of the people of Maui, posting on Instagram a plea to his followers not to travel to the island. “Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now. DO NOT TRAVEL TO MAUI,” the Aquaman star captioned a post showing the devastation on the island and providing resources to help. “Do not convince yourself that your presence is needed on an island that is suffering this deeply.”