

Now, let’s start by introducing the ensemble cast. (No one died, but two civilians and several firefighters were injured.) Before we begin, let’s remember that hundreds of families lost their homes in the Caldor fire, which burned more than 200,000 acres in the area from August to October 2021. But yours - complete with multiple middlemen, reams of fine print and a natural disaster - has more to unpack than a warehouse of lost luggage. Most complaints that come in to Tripped Up are relatively straightforward cases of right and wrong. With the deadline approaching, I feel like I’m being forced into a vacation I don’t want to take in a place I don’t want to go, and I want a refund. Evolve has significantly fewer listings than Vrbo, and I’ve been unable to find a satisfactory substitute anywhere on the California, Oregon or Washington coasts, for a visit with my son in Dillon, Colo., or to see family near Boston. I canceled with Vrbo, but they would not refund me, offering me a credit toward a future rental through Evolve, the property manager, valid for two years. Our group included young children, those with asthma and the elderly, for whom this environment would be a serious health risk.

About two weeks before the wedding, we saw on the news that the Caldor wildfire had impacted the region, causing evacuations and blocked roads and filling the air with heavy smoke.

I booked a house on Lake Tahoe through Vrbo for my family to attend a wedding in September 2021.
