Watch Duty App Surges in Popularity Amid California Wildfires

As wildfires rage across Los Angeles County, the Watch Duty app, a fire-tracking tool developed by a Bay Area nonprofit, has seen a surge in users. Launched in 2021, the app provides real-time updates on fire incidents, evacuation zones, shelter locations, and National Weather Service alerts. With over 7.2 million yearly active users at the end of 2024, Watch Duty added 600,000 new users in just 24 hours as wildfires intensified.

“What’s happening right now in L.A. is the worst that I’ve seen in the five years I’ve been doing this… This is catastrophic,” said John Mills, CEO of Watch Duty. “It’s really hard to watch, but I’d rather be doing this than not doing anything. It feels like we could at least do something to help, because otherwise we’re just sitting here watching the world burn.”

More than 100,000 residents are under evacuation orders due to the wildfires, with red flag warnings in effect for Los Angeles and much of Ventura County through Thursday. Watch Duty, run by the Santa Rosa-based nonprofit Sherwood Forestry Service, combines data from public sources, including 911 dispatch calls, radio scanners, and official announcements, to provide timely alerts to users.

The app, which started in Sonoma, Lake, and Napa counties, has grown rapidly since its inception. It now covers the entire American West, Texas, and Oklahoma. Watch Duty employs 15 staff members and works with approximately 200 volunteers, including active and retired firefighters and dispatchers. The app is free to use, with optional premium features available for $24.99 annually, including alerts for multiple counties and a firefighting flight tracker.

Mills, a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur, was inspired to create Watch Duty after narrowly escaping the 2020 Walbridge Fire. “I didn’t receive an alert or warning,” he recalled. “I realized there had to be a better way to get information out to people in real-time.” The app has since become a critical tool for residents and first responders alike.

Watch Duty plans to expand its disaster monitoring capabilities, starting with flood alerts in the coming months. The nonprofit has raised $3 million through membership dues, donations, and grants, including support from Google.org. Mills emphasized that the app does not sell user data and remains committed to its mission of providing life-saving information during emergencies.

“This has become a way of life for us, and how we fight fire and survive through natural disasters,” Mills said. “I’m not leaving. I had a choice — I could fight or I could run, and five years later, I’m still enjoying the fight.”