This App Is Saving People’s Lives In The LA Fires — And It Might Help Yours, Too
As wildfires and windstorms continue to devastate neighborhoods across Southern California, residents need to know where fires are headed in order to make the quick decisions that will save their families’ lives.
And for many, Watch Duty, a nonprofit app run by over 150 volunteers, is the answer. The wildfire-tracking service notifies users in real-time about local fires. Grateful Californians have said the app is “my Valium,” and its pings notifying users of approaching firefighters lets them breathe a “sigh of relief.”
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As of Wednesday, Watch Duty, launched in 2021, has replaced ChatGPT as the top-downloaded free app in the Apple store. Watch Duty CEO John Mills confirmed to The Los Angeles Times that it had 7.2 million yearly active users in 2024 and it added 600,000 new users in one day this week.
How Watch Duty Works
The app is available for Android and iOS. You can also use its service on a desktop.
The wildfire-monitoring service relies on expert volunteers, including active and retired first responders and firefighters.
911 dispatch calls about fires are automatically relayed to Watch Duty’s internal Slack service, according to the app. From there, the Watch Duty team monitors radio scanners, wildfire cameras, satellites, on-scene reports and public information like data from the National Weather Service.
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If these volunteers, called reporters, believe there is “a threat to life or property,” the app will send an alert to people in that area. People who are affected will continue to receive notifications about that fire until the danger has passed.
Watch Duty organizes information on a map of the U.S. where users can see where fires are, as indicated by flame icons, and where active fire perimeters currently are. Users can also see lists of shelter locations and new evacuation centers, gain access to live wildfire cameras, submit photos and sign up to receive push notifications regarding evacuation orders about particular fires.
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For now, Watch Duty is used for tracking wildfires, but the company plans to expand to covering other natural disasters like river flooding in 2025.
Watch Duty currently operates in 22 predominantly Western states, including California, Colorado, Oregon, Hawaii and Texas. Within the app, you can choose which counties you want to receive alerts for.
You can get all of Watch Duty’s main wildfire-tracking features for free, but by paying for membership, which starts at $24.99, you can get additional features like a firefighting flight tracker.
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Other Services You Can Use During Natural Disasters
Other apps can be useful to have on your phone in case of extreme weather events like fires.
Analyzing 250,000 personal weather station reports, this crowdsourced app uses radar to keep users informed about severe weather events like hurricanes. You can sign up for weather alerts for your exact location.
This push-to-talk walkie talkie app gained popularity during Hurricane Irma and Harvey as it helped civilians coordinate search and rescue efforts. Keep in mind that you’ll need Wi-Fi or cellular data for it to work.
If help cannot reach you and you need emergency first aid, you’ll want trusted advice. This mobile app by the American Red Cross teaches CPR and first aid techniques like how to stop bleeding.
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Websites of First Responder Agencies
You can also visit your local government to receive information on natural disasters. CalFire, the California state wildfire agency, has its own website to share information on wildfires.
Or support local journalists who can provide you with actionable information for your community. Many local news outlets also have apps, and you can watch some local channels, like Los Angeles station KCAL, through parent company CBS’ news app.
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