WHY would it sound SILLY, @Lisa658? I am very touched... as is, I am sure, @Sharion0!
Just to give an update to both the fires in the area and our situation in particular:
We are still 1 mile from the fire on the north but a newer one (Nuns fire) is approaching on the east (6 miles or so away). The wind came from the south last night and cleared a lot of smoke, but it is now changing and coming from NW again and smoke is coming back. It's due to change to N tonite...so i can see that more smoke will come in and possibly move the fire with it.
Also - just to give a hint - AirBnB via Twitter is amazing! I suggest ANYONE needing their help use that first...and have a Case Manager call you back. I told them that I'd spoken to two guests, one two weeks from now, and one this weekend.
The "two-weeks-out guest" wants to wait to see how it is...and changed his plans as to which wineries he will visit; because we know the area and guided him to wineries that were not burned down - or in the path of the fire.
The "this weekend guest?" We told her we would suggest that she not come - not safe yet! We told her we would fully refund her and no penalty would apply. HOWEVER we also said we would call AirBnB and initiate this because we wanted to be able to keep the dates open for Firefighters and/or evacuees should we need to. We also didn't want to be penalized. I tweeted AirBnB yesterday and was assigned Case Manager within 15 min. Vanessa (Case Mgr) tried to call - but because of cell service being spotty here I couldn't receive call correctly. AirBnB tweeted she would call back this AM. She did.
Vanessa was more worried about *US* .. My husband and I ... than the reservation - which was refreshing (and I admit to tearing up a LOT) After she got that out of the way she cancelled the guest's reservation (as the guest and I had communicated via AirBnB messaging the entire conversation was there and the guest's agreement was therein) then she opened back up the cancelled dates so if I want to offer the room in AirBnB's evacuee program, I could. Or - as suggested by others - I can special offer the room for $10, etc...to simply cover costs of laundry, water, etc.
So, AirBnB came through! I am thrilled! I have enough to worry about w/my husband and I and our elderly neighbors - I didn't need to worry about evac'ing a guest...
