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Airbnb helping California wildfire victims with temporary housing

Airbnb is helping California wildfire victims with free temporary housing.

The rental platform said Wednesday that it is teaming up with 211 LA, a longtime Los Angeles area nonprofit, in response to the ongoing fires.

Los Angeles County has been contending with wildfires since Tuesday. Five were burning Friday morning, including the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, Kenneth Fire, Hurst Fire and Lidia Fire.

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“Stays are completely free for guests and are funded by Airbnb.org and the generosity of Airbnb hosts – many of whom offer their home for free or at a discount through Airbnb.org,” Airbnb explained.

Airbnb

The rental platform said Wednesday that it is teaming up with 211 LA, a longtime Los Angeles area nonprofit, in response to the ongoing fires. (Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)

211 LA is identifying and coordinating the temporary Airbnb housing at Airbnbs for eligible people, particularly individuals living in Altadena, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Sylmar who have “lost their home or been forced to evacuate” due to the flames, according to the rental platform.

Eaton Fire

Apartments seen on fire from the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on Jan. 8, 2025. (Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Los Angeles area residents in need of the temporary Airbnb.org housing assistance must complete an intake form with 211 LA that can be accessed on the nonprofit’s website.  

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In order to be eligible, they must “have been displaced from your physical home due to the recent fires,” live in an evacuation zone, have the ability to create an Airbnb account if they don’t already have one and must be at least 18 years old, according to 211 LA’s website. 

Roughly 130,000 people have been told by officials to evacuate the fires, The Associated Press reported.

The largest of the five blazes, the 20,438-acre Palisades Fire, has razed over 5,000 buildings, according to CalFire. It is 6% contained as of Friday morning. 

Southern California wildfires

Plumes of smoke are seen as a brush fire burns in Pacific Palisades, California on Jan. 7, 2025. (DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 7: Homes burn as powerful winds drive the Eaton Fire on January 7, 2025 in Pasadena, California. A powerful Santa Ana wind event has dramatically raised the danger of wind-driven wildfires such as the dangerous and destructive Palisades Fire near Santa Monica. The strong winds also forced President Joe Biden to cancel his plan to travel between Los Angeles and Riverside, California. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

Homes burn as powerful winds drive the Eaton Fire on Jan. 7, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (David McNew/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The Eaton Fire, which, like the Palisades Fire has raged since Tuesday, remained 0% contained. It has burned 4,000 buildings. 

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The other three fires had varying percentages of containment Friday morning, the CalFire website showed.

At least 10 people have died in the fires.

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