How to prepare your space—and guests—for wildfires

Record wildfire seasons are touching the lives of Hosts and guests globally. It’s more important than ever to have plans in case of wildfire to protect yourself, your guests, and your property.

At Airbnb, we take your safety and the safety of your guests very seriously. As part of our recently launched Trust & Safety Advisory Coalition, we’re partnering with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) to share resources about wildfire safety, so you can help keep your property safe and give important info to guests that may be helpful in case of emergency.

You can always plan ahead in case of wildfire in your community. IAFC’s Ready, Set, Go! program is a great resource for tips on wildfire safety. Though the program is U.S.-based, its tips can apply to anyone around the world.

Here are a few of IAFC’s suggestions:

• Remove overgrown vegetation within 30 feet (nine meters) of your house, garage, and other buildings on your property to help create defensible space.
• Use hard surfaces—like concrete, rock, or pavers—five feet (one-and-a-half meters) around the base of your house.
• Use fire-resistant, low-growing, herbaceous vegetation when planting in areas close to your house.
• Remove low-hanging branches to create at least six feet (two meters) of distance between grasses, shrubs, and taller trees.

To stay informed while hosting, you can sign up for emergency alerts in the area where your property is located. Most are available on your town, city, or state’s website. This way, you can get info about what’s happening even if you’re not nearby while you have guests.

Some guests may be traveling from areas that haven’t been affected by wildfires, and might not understand the risks. Either way, you can help guests stay prepared.

Try these tips from Ready, Set, Go!:

• Add basic info about the implications of wildfires in your area to your house rules, so guests are aware before booking that wildfires may occur.
• Display a list of local emergency contacts somewhere prominent, like on a fridge or coffee table.
• Provide the common name of the neighborhood or area (for example, the Mulwood community of Calabasas in California). You can add this to your house rules and also include it on your list of emergency info.
• Give your guests a map of the area that clearly shows your property’s address, nearby road names, multiple evacuation routes, and potential safe locations for guests to retreat.
• Encourage guests to sign up for local emergency alerts and stay updated on fire activity, even if a wildfire isn’t near your property.
• Let your guests know they don’t need to wait for an evacuation order to leave, especially since they may need extra time to navigate if the area is unfamiliar to them.

For more resources about preparing for wildfires, you can reach out to your local fire department. If you’re in the U.S., you can also check out Ready, Set, Go! to understand more about wildfires and create an action plan.