‘All Hands on Deck’: How Watch Duty Keeps Up With the California Wildfires
While the destructive Los Angeles fires rage, all eyes have turned to the app that lets you track them. WIRED spoke with Watch Duty founder John Mills about how the platform has met the moment.
How Watch Duty became the go-to wildfire app to track L.A. wildfires
As multiple wildfires spread across Los Angeles, local have rushed to download the Watch Duty app to get the latest fire news and maps. Here’s how it works.
Watch Duty App Creator Says He’ll Never Pull an OpenAI
Watch Duty was created in 2021 by John Mills, the founder and CEO, who was inspired to build an app after experiencing frightening wildfires in 2019 and 2020 near his home in Sonoma County, California.
Watch Duty wildfire map: App helps track blazes, find shelter. What to know.
An automated monitoring system picks up the details about an incident reported to the emergency dispatch center, alerting Watch Duty teams via a messaging app, then any and all Watch Duty reporters in the region begin to monitor radio scanners, wildfire cameras, satellites and other public sources.
LA residents turn to apps like Watch Duty and social media to track wildfire information
People are turning to online resources and smartphone app communities such as Watch Duty or Ring's "Neighbors" forum for wildfire updates.
Watch Duty surpasses ChatGPT as top free app on App Store as California fires spread
Watch Duty, an app to track wildfires with live maps and alerts, has become the No. 1 free app in Apple's App Store as of Wednesday morning. The
How Watch Duty became the go-to app for people fleeing the L.A. fires
Watch Duty has added 750,000 users in the last 12 hours, as L.A. residents rely on it for real-time information to track the wildfires around them.
With L.A. on alert, wildfire app Watch Duty adds 600,000 users overnight
With the explosion of fires across the L.A. area, tracking app Watch Duty, which has 7.2 million active users annually, told The Times it counted 600,000 new sign-ups in the last 24 hours.
Amid LA Fires, the Watch Duty App Provides Timely Info on Wildfire Conditions
Volunteers help source information to the service, which gives updates on wildfires and sends out alerts on threats to life and property.
Watch Duty overtakes ChatGPT in the App Store as California wildfires spread
The app monitors fire-related developments by listening to radio scanners, reviewing wildlife cameras and satellite data, and tracking official updates from law enforcement, fire services, and other public sources.
Watch Duty App Provides Wildfire Updates and Evacuation Mandates for LA Residents
The Watch Duty app is keeping both residents and first responders safe during the Pacific Palisades wildfires in Los Angeles.
As Misinformation on LA Fires Spreads, Residents Turn to Watch Duty App
As winds continue to fan multiple fires across the Los Angeles region, misinformation and unfounded conspiracy theories are ...
The app everyone is using to track the Palisades Fire got its start in the Bay Area woods
Watch Duty, born in the Bay Area woods and based in Santa Rosa, is humming with new users amid Los Angeles’ destructive ...