Watch Duty

As the Timber & Plaskett fires burned along the Big Sur coast, Watch Duty reporters shared updates on evacuations, road closures, & containment. Watch Duty Cofounder & CEO John Mills joins the Big Sur podcast & shares how we started & how technology can help people without replacing human judgment.

Behind every Watch Duty alert is a team of reporters working to get you real-time, verified information on wildfires and floods in your area. Here's a peek behind-the-scenes at their workspaces and some of the essentials they rely on while reporting ⬇️

Handheld radios help reporters monitor emergency radio traffic, giving them another real-time source of information.

Behind every Watch Duty alert is a team of reporters working to get you real-time, verified information on wildfires and floods in your area. Here's a peek behind-the-scenes at their workspaces and some of the essentials they rely on while reporting ⬇️

Many of our reporters are former emergency professionals, combining their experience with Watch Duty tools, training, and collaboration.

➡️ The Norte Fire is burning in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, Orange County, CA and has reached 450+ acres within its first three hours.

➡️ Evacuation Orders are in effect for multiple zones, per the Orange County Evacuation Map. These areas may expand as the fire moves. First responders and firefighting aircraft are scaling up their response.

Adam was away at college when he heard a fire had started near his grandmother's house in Camarillo, California. Looking at Watch Duty's wildfire cameras and wind direction information, he knew the fire was moving fast.

Cole is one of Watch Duty's founding reporters. Outside of his Watch Duty role reporting on wildfires, he combines his love of photography with his passion for public service by spotlighting the work of fire departments.

2026 was one of the largest wildfire seasons in over a decade. Oregon broke its all-time record for acres burned, and Utah had its worst fire year since 2007. And Washington saw more than double the number of acres burned from last year.

16 million users relied on Watch Duty to know, in real time, what was happening near them. Wildfires were tracked by real people — nearly 100 trained reporters with careers spanning from first responders to dispatchers — who posted more than 95,000 updates this year.

At 6:30 AM, Scarlett Bishop's phone woke her up with a Watch Duty alert that the Aspen Acres fire was 4 miles from her home at Bishop Castle. Scarlett and her husband rounded up their animals — 26 chickens, horses, goats, 4 cats, and 3 dogs — with 4 extra hours before evacuation orders hit.

Evacuating was hard for Scarlett, as some of her favorite childhood memories were at Bishop Castle, which her grandfather built himself. The castle is now a public attraction, and Scarlett lives and works there, helping to take care of the property.

"Watch Duty's growth isn't a success story. It's a failure story." — John Mills, Watch Duty cofounder & CEO Watch Duty started with one idea: put real-time, verified disaster information in one place so people can act when seconds count. Today, 30 million people across the U.S. have used the app.

When wildfires and floods threaten a community, one of the first things they can impact is the ability to communicate. Now, Watch Duty can reach you by satellite when cell towers can't, so you can keep getting alerts no matter what's happening on the ground.

This is live now, no app update needed. Check your device and carrier to access satellite-based data.

When wildfires and floods threaten a community, one of the first things they can impact is the ability to communicate. Now, Watch Duty can reach you by satellite when cell towers can't, so you can keep getting alerts no matter what's happening on the ground.

Hi I'm Miranda, one of the reporters behind your Watch Duty alerts. I'm a former Forest Service Wilderness Ranger and now a Watch Duty Regional Captain for California.

A fun fact about the Watch Duty app is that you can click on the names of the reporters on the updates and learn about all of us!

Hi I'm Miranda, one of the reporters behind your Watch Duty alerts. I'm a former Forest Service Wilderness Ranger and now a Watch Duty Regional Captain for California.

When I'm not reporting, I'm a big fan of reading books, playing board games, and taking naps in the sun. I'm also easily distracted by birds and cool rocks.

Hi I'm Miranda, one of the reporters behind your Watch Duty alerts. I'm a former Forest Service Wilderness Ranger and now a Watch Duty Regional Captain for California.

I live in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California and have been on the Watch Duty team for just over a year. I realized the app was run by people with a common goal — and I wanted to be a part of it.

How will this year's El Niño affect wildfires and floods? We can't be certain, but there are some things we can watch out for:

➡️ Even if we don't see a lot of rain, sea level rises during a strong El Niño year, which can mean coastal flooding and erosion.

How will this year's El Niño affect wildfires and floods? We can't be certain, but there are some things we can watch out for: