Watch Duty

10/09/2026

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.

Find more of his photos on Instagram, .

10/07/2026

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. Washington saw more than double the number of acres burned from last year. And in Colorado, the Aspen Acres Fire became one of the most destructive fires in state history and burned over 100,000 acres.

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.

Peak wildfire season may be over, but fires and floods continue year-round. Stay prepared and download Watch Duty: watchduty.org

10/06/2026

Mary worked for most of her career as a dispatcher in California — answering emergency calls and coordinating police, fire, and medical response teams. She was looking for ways to continue to help people and started reporting on wildfires for local Facebook groups, and eventually was encouraged to volunteer at Watch Duty. Three years later, she's a reporter on the team, helping keep communities around the U.S. safe. 💛

10/02/2026

Miranda and team have got your back. 🫡 Our reporters gather information from sources like emergency radio communication, fire cameras, and river gauges for easy-to-understand updates that help you make informed decisions during wildfires and major floods.

09/30/2026

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.

"That extra couple of hours allowed me time to think what's the best plan. I think if we didn't have Watch Duty, we would be in a much different situation."

09/25/2026

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

New to navigating the Watch Duty app? We’ve got you covered.Watch...

09/24/2026

When a disaster unfolds, Watch Duty reporters closely monitors radio traffic, wildfire and river cameras, and evacuation reports. Even from a screen, we're closely tied to every community we serve.

Traci has felt this firsthand, especially when covering on the recent fires in Colorado, her home state. On every wildfire and major flood, reporters like Traci are looking out for you. 💛

09/23/2026

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, and weather warnings. Hear more on how meteorology shapes what we report👇

09/21/2026

"Watch Duty's growth isn't a success story. It's a failure story." — John Mills, Watch Duty cofounder and 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.

Disasterproof spent time with Watch Duty reporters, John, and the firefighters who use Watch Duty in the field. Watch the episode: youtube.com/watch?v=v402tJUOouw

09/18/2026

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, helping get people the right information when they need it most.