Expert after expert declared Watch Duty their go-to information resource, including wildfire maps, fire crew activities, air quality alerts and orders official evacuation procedures.
“It’s the app I use the most now, and I really like it,” said Michael Gollner, an engineering professor at the University of California, Berkeley, whose research focuses on wildfires. .
Even if you aren’t exposed to wildfires, we will all likely experience natural disasters like floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, or extreme heat. Watch Duty is an example of technology that powers the expertise of government officials and enthusiasts to keep us informed and safer during crises.
Watch Duty brings together official sources such as law enforcement press briefings and video camera feeds of fires with information compiled by trained staff and volunteers who listen to public safety radio communications. (Some of them are retired firefighters or other public safety personnel.)
In the app’s feed, Watch Duty tries to compile and make sense of the jumble of information. You can sign up to receive free wildfire notifications for counties in a dozen states.
Anthony Zarate of Spokane, Washington, is a fan of Watch Duty and recommended the app to his neighbors during a recent wildfire in the area.
Zarate said Watch Duty frees him from searching for local news, public safety notifications, online posts and other sources. “It brings together the best of social media and public services and puts everything in one place,” Zarate said.
Experts like Gollner say Watch Duty is useful for keeping an eye on fires to stay vigilant, but it’s no substitute for official information or government evacuation orders.
Issac Sanchez, deputy communications chief for the California fire agency known as Cal Fire, said unofficial news sources like Watch Duty may lack nuance or context in public communications from governments.
“Whatever you choose to do to improve your situational awareness, Cal Fire has your back,” Sanchez said. “Just be aware that the sources you listen to may not be official.”
The Watch Duty app shows when information comes from its staff or volunteers, called “reporters,” and when it comes from an official source like Cal Fire.
No source of information is completely reliable. Cell phone and internet services can fail during a fire and cut off people’s communications. Gollner also said people shouldn’t become complacent if a wildfire is far away from them now. Fire and wind conditions can change quickly.
The origins of Watch Duty
More than a decade ago, Mills started a software company that helped restaurant chains accomplish tasks such as food safety checklists. In 2019, Mills purchased property north of San Francisco that he said would be his future home. He remained there when the pandemic hit in 2020.
During the wildfires that year, Mills said he didn’t have enough information about what was happening and what to do. He found himself glued to social media posts from amateurs who were compiling information about wildfires from public safety communications broadcast online.
Mills said the idea for Watch Duty came from his experiences, talking with community groups and local officials — and observing an emergency services center struggling with clunky software to send help.
He invested $1 million of his own money to launch Watch Duty and persuaded people he knew in Silicon Valley to help him write the app’s computer code. Mills also recruited some of the people who had built social media followings for their posts about the wildfires.
In the first week that Watch Duty was available in three California counties, Mills said, the app had tens of thousands of users. Over the past month, he said, Watch Duty has had approximately 1.1 million users.
Watch Duty is a non-profit organization. Members who pay $25 per year get access to additional features such as firefighting aircraft flight tracking.
Mills wants to expand Watch Duty to cover other types of natural disasters. “I can’t think of anything better I could do with my life,” he said.
How to stay informed and prepared in case of wildfires or other natural disasters
Sign up for emergency alerts in your area. California residents can use the Ready for Wildfire website to sign up for emergency alerts. Or search the web for your county name and “emergency alerts.”
In some counties, you can text your zip code to 888777 to sign up for local public safety text alerts through Nixle. Learn more about emergency alerts.
Follow your local police and firefighters on social media. Sanchez said it’s important to keep an eye on official information, including the Cal Fire website.
Use news sources like Watch Duty or local news. Gollner has a list of wildfire resources here. Google Maps also shows wildfires, which can be helpful for staying informed before traveling.
Listen to local authorities no matter what. “If emergency personnel ever ask you to evacuate, do so. Don’t wait,” Gollner said.
Sanchez also said you should “listen to your gut.” He said he recently received a phone call from a family wondering whether to leave their home as a wildfire burned nearby. There was no official evacuation order, but they didn’t feel safe in their homes. Sanchez advised the family to trust their instincts.
Plan ahead for a fire or other disaster. Cal Fire’s preparedness guide can help you create an emergency kit and make the area around your home less prone to fires. Many of the tips are helpful for other natural disasters.
The Washington Post also has a guide on what to do before, during and after a hurricane that can help you in other types of emergencies.
Research also shows that having strong connections within your community builds personal resilience when disaster strikes.
Sanchez said it can be scary to imagine all the terrible things that could happen. He said we can instead think of preparing for potential emergencies as a way to get peace of mind.