Uber has announced a new initiative to support wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles County. For every ride booked or delivery order placed in the area, Uber and Postmates will donate $1 to World Central Kitchen, with donations capped at $1 million. This initiative is part of a broader $3 million relief package, as detailed in a press release issued on January 13.
According to the press release, Uber is also offering free rides up to $40 for evacuees traveling to designated shelters using the promo code "WILDFIRE25." Additionally, Uber Eats and Postmates are waiving delivery and service fees for orders from eligible local businesses within the affected areas.
Sky News reports that over 30,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate due to the Hughes Fire north of Los Angeles. The fire began near Lake Castaic on January 22, 2025, and has burned over 10,000 acres (41 square kilometers), with containment currently at 14%, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). This incident is part of a series of wildfires impacting California, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have collectively scorched more than 37,000 acres and destroyed numerous homes and businesses. Containment efforts for these fires stand at 70% and 95%, respectively.
TechTarget provides background on Uber as a transportation and ride-sharing technology company founded in 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Uber is led by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi since 2017. The company offers various services such as transportation, food delivery through Uber Eats, freight matching via Uber Freight, among others. With operations spanning over 10,000 cities across more than 70 countries, Uber completed approximately 2.6 billion trips in the fourth quarter of 2023 alone. The company achieved significant milestones with its trip count reaching one billion by 2015, five billion by 2017, and ten billion by 2018. In addition to these achievements, Uber launched a self-driving pilot program in 2016 before selling it to Aurora in 2020.