CUSTER COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — As Colorado communities continue dealing with wildfires, Airbnb is urging travelers visiting fire-affected areas to research local conditions and follow official guidance before and during their trips.
Rachel Gary, head of the disaster response team at Airbnb, said travelers should understand the risks of an area before booking a stay.
“Before booking a stay during any sort of natural disaster season, whether it's wildfire season in a place like Colorado, or hurricane season, you know, on the coast, um, you wanna make sure that you just know what you're getting yourself into,” Gary explained.
Gary said travelers should also monitor official sources in the days leading up to their trip.
“You want to make sure that you're checking the official updates,” she said. “So Colorado's official fire source, for example, would be something that we would want guests to be aware of and be tracking leading up to their stay.”
For the Aspen Acres Fire as an example, official updates have been shared on social media here. She also urged visitors to understand rules and restrictions in the communities they visit, including regulations involving open flames, fireworks and grills.
“We want to make sure that they're aware of what sort of rules are in place around open flames, fireworks, even grills, just making sure that they're being good partners to the communities that they're visiting,” Gary added.
That guidance is especially important for visitors heading to areas near active wildfires. Bishop Castle, a popular tourist attraction in southern Colorado, is reopening after surviving the Aspen Acres Fire. Gary said Airbnb guests should continue following local guidance if a disaster occurs while they are already traveling.
“We just want to make sure that you are following the local official guidance, and you have that information handy for where you're traveling to,” she said.
Airbnb also sends emergency preparedness information to hosts and guests during emergencies. Gary said those messages include links to official sources providing evacuation information, rules and other guidance.
“This way if something does occur while a guest is on a trip, they have that info handy and can follow along with the changing conditions, because things do change really fast, especially in wildfire states,” she said.
Gary cautioned travelers against relying solely on information shared by neighbors or on social media.
“We wanna make sure, and in order for guests to not be a burden on, you know, local resources, especially, to make sure that you are following that local guidance to a T,” she said.
Visitors can also help communities by supporting local businesses while making sure their activities do not increase wildfire risks.
“We want to make sure that if you are traveling to any area at any point in time throughout the year, you're aware of what the conditions could be,” Gary said. “Whether that's snow and making sure that your vehicle is prepared for that, or fire, and making sure that your activities, your planned fun, isn't contributing to potential risk.”
Gary said Airbnb also operates Airbnb.org, a separate nonprofit that provides temporary stays for people evacuated by disasters and emergency personnel. Gary said the nonprofit has been activated several times this year for wildfires in Colorado and a spokesperson says 3,000 free nights have been provided to first responders and evacuees. She said Airbnb's overall priority is keeping both guests and the communities where it operates safe.
“I think really the main takeaway here is that safety of hosting guests are Airbnb's top priority, but also a top priority is the safety of the communities that we operate,” Gary said. “So, we just want to make sure that we are strong partners to local leaders in Colorado, and that we're doing our part to help amplify any sort of critical message and resource to remind people to be safe and have a great experience in your area.”
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS TIPS FROM AIRBNB:
- Help guests who may be unfamiliar with what to do in a weather emergency by pulling together important information – like emergency contacts, the property’s address, location of the storm shelter, or map of the surrounding area – and making it available in a prominent place in the home.
- Account for seasonal weather in your listing, messages, and cancellation policy by adding details about the local weather in your house rules, using the tools in your Messages tab to save tips you can share when severe weather is forecast, and offering guests a flexible cancellation policy that gives them more leeway to plan around forecasts.
- Communicate with your guests about weather advisories, and remind them of local resources and tips for protecting themselves during their stay.
- Reduce the risk of property damage by planning routine maintenance before hurricane and wildfire seasons begin – like putting together an emergency kit, trimming your trees, and checking your drainage systems.
The full list of tips can be found here.
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