As the Los Angeles fires burn, the Watch Duty app offers timely information on wildfire conditions

Watch Dutyservice that tracks wildfires in 22 states has become a critical resource for Residents of Los Angeles are facing catastrophic fires.

The Application and Website operated by a non-profit organization that collects real-time dispatch information and veterinary alerts through a team of employees and about 200 volunteers, I saw an increase of 600,000 users over a 24-hour period last week at the start of the Los Angeles County wildfires. During the week since the fires startedtens of thousands of buildings were destroyed and more than 100,000 people were displaced, with at least 24 deaths.

In addition to providing searchable maps and warnings of wildfire locations, Watch Duty provides information on air quality and wind direction and resources for evacuation and shelter information, and sends alerts when fires threaten life or the ownership. The service, which launched in 2021, has retired and active firefighters and dispatchers among its volunteers who help confirm information from fire cameras, satellites, radio scanners, reports from police and fire departments, and user-submitted photos and tips.

Watch Duty last week surged to the top of Apple’s App Store download charts, as it did several times in the past during other wildfire incidents. It remains in the top 10 there this week, as well as in the Google Play store.

The nonprofit’s CEO, John Clark Mills, a software entrepreneur who launched Watch Duty after a close call with a wildfire near his home in Northern California, said the app’s success has been “bittersweet.” He wrote on LinkedIn this week: “Most days I absolutely love what I do, it is a true honor to serve and I am so grateful for the privilege to do so. This is not one of those days.”

“The amount of destruction I’ve witnessed in less than 24 hours is really hard to fathom. This is the worst I’ve seen since I took this job, and it’s not even close to over.” Mills wrote last week.

As of Tuesday, a week after the fires started, the spreading Palisades fire has been contained contains only 17%.and Eaton fired 35%, according to The New York Times.

Los Angeles Times reported that Watch Duty has raised $2 million in membership fees, $600,000 in donations and $3 million in grants. Provides additional features, such as firefighting aircraft tracking, with memberships starting at $25 per year. As of mid-December, Watch Duty had more than 7.2 million active users.

On social media, the app has been discussed and recommended by users including ESPN’s Mina Kimes, Signal President Meredith Whittaker and CBS News Correspondent Jonathan Viglotti.