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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.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 23h

On the latest episode of Disasterproof, Kat Manalac spoke with the our team, and chatted with Chief Shepley Schroth-Cary about how firefighters and first responders use Watch Duty in the field. Watch it: youtube.com/watch?v=v402tJUOouw

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 25/09/2026

New to navigating the Watch Duty app? We’ve got you covered. Watch this how-to guide, share with family and friends, and download Watch Duty at watchduty.org

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 23/09/2026

What is meteorology? And how does it help inform Watch Duty's reporting on major floods and wildfires? You've seen insights from Pete, Watch Duty's staff meteorologist, breaking down the conditions behind specific fires, floods, & weather warnings. More on how meteorology shapes what we report👇

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 21/09/2026

"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.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 18/09/2026

Eric's childhood dream was to be a firefighter. He joined his local fire department's explorer program at just 14 years old and stayed in emergency response ever since. Now he works as Public Information Officer and serves as a contributor to Watch Duty.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 17/09/2026

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.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 16/09/2026

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.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 14/09/2026

There's a lot of buzz around El Niño and a lot of misinformation out there too. Watch Duty Staff Meteorologist Pete Curran on three of his most hated weather coverage words (explosive! bomb cyclone! Super El Niño!) and what to look out for the next three months to understand likely El Niño impacts.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 11/09/2026

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:

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 10/09/2026

You heard it here folks: there's no such thing as a "Super" El Niño but it's shaping up to be a very strong one this year. Some models show up warming up to 3° C — which could be the warmest El Niño on record. More from Watch Duty Staff Meteorologist Pete Curran ⤵️

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 08/09/2026

After a career in the fire service, Don knew he wasn't done helping people. He's now on the team at Watch Duty - and many Watch Duty reporters are just like Don, active and retired emergency professionals still on the job and using their expertise to help others across the country. 🧡

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 03/09/2026

Whether you're out on the trail or on the road, make sure you're prepared. Traci, a Watch Duty reporter, shares how to set your notifications so you get alerts on wildfires and flooding in your area — and anywhere you're traveling to.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 03/09/2026

What keeps us going is hearing your stories. 💛 Last month, we hit our five year mark and we heard from so many of you who have used Watch Duty through the years.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 01/09/2026

When Cole isn't reporting on wildfires for Watch Duty, he's usually behind a camera — documenting first responders in action. 📸

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 28/08/2026

After working multiple fires & hurricanes, including Hurricane Helene, Deputy Fire Chief Larry & his team were looking for ways to get information out to the public more effectively. We heard teams like Larry's loud & clear. Watch Duty now provides wildfire & major flooding information nationwide.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 27/08/2026

Watch Duty Staff Meteorologist Pete shares what's driving the Red Flag Warning conditions in southern California and what to watch out for:

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 26/08/2026

➡️ The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County and a number of surrounding counties, including Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. The Warning is in effect through 3 p.m. PDT Friday, August 28.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 25/08/2026

It started as a small plume of smoke behind the mountain peaks in Stagecoach, Colorado. Fifteen minutes later, there were 50 foot flames. That's how fast the fire moved for Chappy. When the Watch Duty alert hit his phone, it gave him and his friends just enough time to grab their pets and get out.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 24/08/2026

"When the fires were so bad here, Watch Duty was my best friend.” Through an extremely active fire season, 250,000 people across Idaho have used Watch Duty to help stay information on wildfires in their area.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 21/08/2026

Hello 👋 from Shannon, a Watch Duty coverage reporter from California:

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 19/08/2026

The Fish Hook Fire in Colorado moved quickly & upended what Winston and Wesley thought was just a normal day. Watch Duty helped them stay safe and alert, and share that support with their community. An extra few minutes and a little more information makes a world of difference.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 18/08/2026

In 2015, the Valley Fire ripped through Lake County, California. That wildfire was a wake up call for Cole — he started reporting on fires for local Facebook pages, and later became one of Watch Duty's first reporters.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 14/08/2026

The 2026 fire season is already on pace to set records for the number of fire incidents in the last ten years. Today, Watch Duty rolled out new features with enhanced satellite layers that will speed detection of new wildfires, especially in rural areas that lack wildfire cameras or other tools ⬇️

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 12/08/2026

Meet three of Watch Duty's first reporters: Evan Jacobs, Josh Leone, and Sara Paul. They started by listening to radio scanners and posting wildfire updates on social media. They later met our cofounder, John Mills, banding together with others to create what became Watch Duty.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 11/08/2026

Watch Duty launched five years ago today. Since then, wildfires have become more frequent and in places that have never experienced wildfire before. The scale of wildfire and disasters is rising. We're growing to meet the challenge in ways we couldn't have imagined five years ago.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 10/08/2026

This week, Watch Duty turns five. That's five years of delivering fast, accurate updates, and five years of looking out for each other. It started with one wildfire, and the idea that clear information saves lives. Five years later, that spirit powers every alert.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 06/08/2026

When the Aspen Acres fire broke out in Colorado, Jill and her family jumped into action. She works to get information out to her community as a public information officer, shares updates with Watch Duty, and support responders, including her husband and son who work in the fire service ⬇️

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 04/08/2026

Watch Duty reporter Traci has been covering the Willow Fire in Colorado since day one, working around the clock to share updates for impacted communities. As a Coloradan, it especially hits close to home. "We're humans, we have hearts, and we're trying to keep everybody out there safe." 💛

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 01/08/2026

Washington State Update: ➡️ The Old Trails Fire (formerly the Euclid Fire) ignited today near Spokane under a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning, growing to 50 acres in only 20 minutes and 2000 acres in a matter of hours, continuing to move fast.

watch duty incident map showing old trails fire

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 29/07/2026

We set the bar on information and alerting for wildfire- here's how we're applying it to major flooding, from Watch Duty reporter & flooding ops manager, Geoff👇

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 28/07/2026

See if water levels are heading toward flooding, from USGS streamgage → your phone. Watch Duty reporters use tools like USGS streamgages to monitor conditions and turn observations into clear updates: watch-duty.visitlink.me/ArapzR

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 24/07/2026

In May, a Watch Duty reporter was flying United into LAX when he spotted the Sandy Fire below. He photographed it from his window seat and sent the image straight to the reporters covering the fire on the ground.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 23/07/2026

As wildfires sweep through Colorado, Beth & her team of 15 volunteers have turned the Colorado State Fairgrounds into a refuge — rescuing 140+ animals & sheltering 1,400+. Watch Duty helped them track conditions & keep crews & animals safe during rescues. More from Beth👇

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 22/07/2026

NYT's reporter Scott Dance has relied on Watch Duty since covering California's Park Fire in 2024. This week, he asked us how a tool that started in a few counties has now reached 30M people, & what's next as we expand into major flooding. Read the full story ➡️ watch-duty.visitlink.me/3CJc1c

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 21/07/2026

Most people think of wildfires and floods as separate, even opposites. But there’s a connection between fire and flood: one can have a major impact on the risk of the other. Learn more, on the Watch Duty blog: watch-duty.visitlink.me/Z1wz-Y

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 20/07/2026

After living through the High Park Fire in 2012, Adam started reporting on fires for local Facebook pages. Today, he's Watch Duty's Regional Captain for Colorado — one of many reporters bringing expertise to his community with every fire he tracks👇

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 20/07/2026

Kevin Fetterman spent 30 years protecting communities in fire service leadership. Now he leads our public safety strategy, collaborating with fire departments & emergency managers nationwide. We're here to support you & first responders with information on wildfires & floods in your area, 24/7.

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Reposted by Watch Duty

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 18/07/2026

Watch Duty, an app known for tracking California wildfires, is moving beyond that mission. Millions of people are turning to it for help and the mapping and forecasting provided by the app are quickly becoming indispensable for emergency authorities.

nyti.ms

As Natural Disasters Expand, a Disaster-Tracking App Is Booming

Known for tracking California wildfires, Watch Duty is moving beyond that mission. Millions of people are turning to it for help.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 18/07/2026

As a Public Information Officer, Eric makes sure his community gets the information they need to stay safe. He's also one of the many Watch Duty volunteers looking out for you during the wildfires in Colorado. We caught him on the go as he tracks emerging fires in Colorado ⬇️

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 17/07/2026

As fires continue to rage across Colorado, Watch Duty reporters are working around the clock to keep you informed. Meet some of them👇 ➡️ Eric began his career as a volunteer firefighter & 911 dispatcher. He now works as a Public Information Officer at Aurora Fire Rescue & volunteers with Watch Duty.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 17/07/2026

Different disasters, different signals. Our staff meteorologist Pete shares how Watch Duty adapts across flood & wildfire reporting ⬇️

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Reposted by Watch Duty

Laura Lee @lauraleeactor.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Holy Fire Season! If you don’t already know about it, I highly recommend getting the WatchDuty app. It’s indispensable. Top notch and non-profit. Monitoring and alerts for fires, floods, etc. @watchduty.org

Screenshot of map on the watchduty app. Showing dozens of fires across the United States, and dark red dots where the air quality is hazardous.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 15/07/2026

➡️ We're seeing severe flooding incidents across South Central Texas. ➡️ Tropical moisture is interacting with other weather elements over South Central Texas, producing anywhere from 3-15 inches of rain.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 14/07/2026

"I realized who was going to solve this problem — it was the same radio operators that I listened to during fires. We were going to band together and build an app." More on building Watch Duty with John Mills on the What's Your Problem podcast with Jacob Goldstein: watch-duty.visitlink.me/_K2u5i

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 14/07/2026

Spotted in the wild: a USGS streamgage - one key tool for tracking water levels in our rivers and sharing info on flood risk. Update and explore the Watch Duty app to discover all our new flooding features.

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 12/07/2026

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, communities like Swannanoa County in North Carolina are at higher risk of wildfire due to resulting damage like downed-timber. Fire, flood, and other disasters are interconnected – learn more about how: watch-duty.visitlink.me/UGwu-w

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 11/07/2026

Wildfire season and flood season used to be divided, giving time to prepare. Fires burned in summer; rains came in winter. That window is narrowing, and we’re seeing a new interplay between disasters. Learn more: watch-duty.visitlink.me/KD4Ip9

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Watch Duty @watchduty.org · 09/07/2026

Storms could be coming into Colorado where wildfires have continued to force evacuations. Will they help or hurt? Watch Duty Staff Meteorologist Pete Curran shares more on we can expect for fire conditions this week.

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