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The Times podcast: A wildfire with your Airbnb?

Becca and Jon Rutledge, sit at an outdoors table with Boomer, their Australian shepherd, on the grass.
Becca and Jon Rutledge, with their Australian shepherd, Boomer, evacuated from their Malibu Airbnb rental days before their wedding during the 2018 Woolsey fire.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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A Los Angeles Times analysis found that across California there are thousands of short-term Airbnb rentals in the state’s most hazardous fire zones. But the company does not provide warnings or evacuation information to guests when they make reservations, and some customers say the company’s refund policy adds to the potential dangers.

Today, as climate change threatens so many aspects of our lives, are even our vacations not safe anymore? Read the full transcript here.

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Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times reporters Ben Poston and Alex Wigglesworth

More reading:

In California’s high-risk fire country, Airbnb offers guests no warning or escape plan

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Is your vacation rental in a risky wildfire zone? What you need to know

California fires are burning faster, hotter, more intensely — and getting harder to fight

About The Times

“The Times” is produced by Shannon Lin, Denise Guerra, Kasia Brousalian, David Toledo and Ashlea Brown. Our editorial assistants are Madalyn Amato and Carlos De Loera. Our engineers are Mario Diaz, Mark Nieto and Mike Heflin. Our editor is Kinsee Morlan. Our executive producers are Jazmin Aguilera, Heba Elorbany
and Shani Hilton. And our theme music is by Andrew Eapen.
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