Residents in Maui are reportedly angry, as tourists continue their vacations despite the recent devastation caused by raging wildfires.

Following the devastation, officials asked visitors to leave the town of Lahaina and the island as a whole as soon as possible.

BBC News says they later began urging people to avoid the island entirely, except for essential travel.

There was even a call from some high profile Hawaii natives like actor Jason Momoa who said “Maui is not the place to have your vacation right now.”

According to reports, some 46,000 people complied and left the island.

At the same time, thousands of tourists chose to remain, while others continued to fly in, angering residents.

Many in Maui say the devastation has highlighted what is known as the “two Hawaiis” – one built for the comfort of visitors and the other “harsher Hawaii” left to Hawaiians.

BBC News interviewed one Maui local who said tourists were swimming in the “same waters that our people died in three days ago”.

However, the opposition and anger is not without complications, since the island is economically reliant on travellers.

Some business owners are now concerned that the growing anti-tourist sentiment could hurt Maui further.

(Featured Image via BBC News)