Airbnb is offering free housing to people displaced by California's wildfires
Dai Sugano/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images
Airbnb has announced its Open Homes program, which allows people to offer free, temporary housing to disaster victims impacted by the fires raging across California.
Homeowners in Northern and Southern California can list their homes for $0 on the site, and Airbnb waives all booking fees.
Northern California's Kincade Fire in Sonoma County is considered this year's largest wildfire, while those in Southern California are bracing for record-strong Santa Ana winds that bring extreme fire danger to a region already reeling from the Tick Fire and Getty Fire.
As devastating fires continue to rage across California, Airbnb is offering relief for the thousands of people displaced from their homes.
Northern California's Kincade Fire in Sonoma County is considered this year's largest wildfire, increasing in size to 76,825 acres on Wednesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The blaze has destroyed 206 structures, including 94 homes, and nearly 200,000 people have been forced to evacuate.
As of Tuesday afternoon, out of 21 open shelters in the region with a capacity of 5,000, six were already at capacity.
In Southern California, conditions also remain grim as residents prepare for record-strong Santa Ana winds that are expected to last through Thursday morning, according to the Washington Post. Wind gusts up to 80 mph are bringing extreme fire danger to the region.
The Getty Fire — which erupted in the Los Angeles area on Monday — has already prompted the evacuation of more than 7,000 homes, according to the New York Times. Separately, the Tick fire, which started Thursday in Santa Clarita, triggered evacuation orders for 50,000 people. Most were allowed to return to their homes on Saturday, according to The Weather Channel.
Tweet Embed:
//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1189454405189292032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Latest observation from Warm Springs at 12:53AM in the hills above Santa Clarita: ENE 38 mph Gusting 55 mph. Relative Humidity was down to 14% Expect Santa Ana winds to strengthen and become more widespread through this morning and continue through Thursday. #cawx #LAweather pic.twitter.com/z9nZ7FKAxP
In response to the various infernos, Airbnb has announced its Open Homes program. It is set to offer free, temporary housing to disaster victims through November 7. The program is straightforward: Homeowners in the areas around Santa Clarita, Sonoma County, and Los Angeles, can list their homes for $0 on the site, and Airbnb waives all booking fees.
After a disaster strikes an area, Airbnb reaches out to hosts to see if they have space for displaced neighbors. Homeowners who aren't already hosts can make a verified Airbnb account to list their homes.
Disaster victims can find available homes by clicking on a link specifically for emergency housing, or by calling the hotline at 605-249-3242.
"Our hearts go out to the residents and communities impacted by the Kincade Fire and to the relief workers and first responders working hard to keep these communities safe," the company said in a press release. "To support those in need, Airbnb has expanded our Open Home program to allow hosts in surrounding counties an opportunity to help those in need of temporary housing."
An Airbnb spokesperson told Insider that there are 2,300 hosts across California so far who are offering free, temporary housing. Out of those hosts, 570 are in the Los Angeles to help those displaced by the Tick and Getty fires, while the remainder are in Northern California.
NOW WATCH: Why Hometown Bar-B-Que is the most legendary barbecue restaurant in NYC
