The Maui Humane Society staff and animals returned home Saturday morning to the building they evacuated due to the wildfire, then got a surprise visit from Oprah Winfrey that afternoon.

It was a first, according to Maui Humane Society spokeswoman Nancy Willis, who confirmed Winfrey made a donation of an undisclosed amount.

Willis said Winfrey has been a supporter of the Humane Society in the past, but everyone was floored when the part-time Maui resident and media mogul showed up in person to say thank you.

“She wanted to stop in and say thank you to all our staff and volunteers for their efforts,” Willis said.

The Humane Society had returned Saturday to its building in Puunene after being forced to evacuate two days prior due to a massive wildfire that broke out Thursday morning in Central Maui. The fire is now contained.

After spending two nights at Maui High School, the Humane Society, which initially put out a social media call for help evacuating, once again asked for help moving back to its home at 1350 Mehameha Loop. The last of the supplies was loaded into a truck just before 8 a.m., according to Willis.

Winfrey posted a photo of herself at the Humane Society on her Instagram, saying, “Everyone’s safe including all the animals. Thank you for your service,” with prayer emojis and hashtags for Maui Police, Maui Fire and the Humane Society.

On Thursday, Winfrey also had opened up her private road to Maui County to assist firefighters battling a massive wildfire that broke out at about 10:40 a.m. south of the intersection of Kuihelani Highway and Waiko Road.

The fire resulted in road closures, the temporary evacuation of thousands from Maalaea and North Kihei and diversion of flights from Kahului Airport.

The animals have settled back in, according to Willis, including Freddie the resident tortoise, who is happy to be home. Normal operating hours also have resumed.

A total of 245 animals were evacuated from the shelter Thursday, Willis said. During the two days in shelter, 156 — two birds, four guinea pigs, 20 rabbits, 18 dogs and 112 cats — were placed in foster care.

Many foster families are now bringing those animals back to the Humane Society.

Two dogs that had pending adoptions were picked up early. Blue, a poi dog, was adopted Saturday, along with Hookipa, a cat who had been at the shelter for more than eight months, she said.

After walking their perimeter, the only damage the Humane Society staff found, so far, was to the back of some storage containers, which were singed.

Willis said the Humane Society is full of gratitude for all of the help it received during a time of need.

“The sense of community was just miraculous around our little shelter, from our staff to our volunteers to the community at large and certainly to the first responders and the Fire Department,” she said. “I’ll maintain they absolutely saved our building.”