Airbnb.org provides emergency housing for people displaced by Spain wildfires

To support people displaced by the wildfires in Madrid and Ávila, Airbnb.org is partnering with the Association Mensajeros de la Paz to offer free temporary housing.

The wildfires that have forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people across Madrid and Ávila and prompted the Spanish government to declare a national emergency, the first ever issued in the country for a wildfire, Airbnb.org has activated its emergency response programme to provide temporary accommodation to displaced families.

"When disaster strikes, no one should have to worry about where they'll sleep that night. Airbnb.org exists to make sure displaced families have a comfortable, welcoming place to stay during the hardest moments. Working alongside the Association Mensajeros de la Paz, we're offering free stays to the families in Madrid and Ávila who need it most." - Christoph Gorder, Executive Director of Airbnb.org

How it works

Airbnb.org works with local organizations to help identify those in need of emergency housing. Residents whose primary home is in a mandatory evacuation zone can apply for free emergency housing through Airbnb.org by contacting the Association Mensajeros de la Paz. People who have received only an evacuation notice or warning - rather than a mandatory evacuation order - are not currently eligible for the programme.

The Association Mensajeros de la Paz is working with municipalities and local authorities in affected areas to help identify displaced families and direct them toward the range of housing solutions available, including Airbnb.org.

How to help

• Donate to Airbnb.org: 100% of donations go directly toward emergency housing for this response and others.
• Airbnb hosts can sign up to offer discounted stays to displaced residents.

Airbnb.org's emergency response programme has already been mobilized on several occasions in Spain to support people affected by crises: after the floods caused by the DANA in the Comunitat Valenciana in autumn 2024, in partnership with the Association Mensajeros de la Paz, providing free temporary housing to displaced residents and emergency personnel in Valencia and Castellón; through the official launch in Spain of its Medical Stays programm, working with six local nonprofits, including ASION, Fundación Xana, Fundación Aladina, Fundación Infantil Ronald McDonald, Fundación Menudos Corazones and the Association Mensajeros de la Paz, to provide free accommodation for families who need to travel for medical treatment; and more recently after the earthquakes in Venezuela by providing free, emergency housing to first responders from Save the Children to support their work.