America’s breakout wildfire app has much bigger disasters in its sights
Watch Duty built its reputation tracking fast-moving wildfires, and nationwide flood coverage is the first step toward turning the nonprofit into a much broader disaster-warning platform.
Watch Duty, a nonprofit app that gained popularity during the wildfires in Los Angeles, is expanding its services to monitor floods across the United States. The app, which provides wildfire information alongside flood data and mapping, aims to offer a comprehensive all-hazards system. CEO John Mills explains that the flood system incorporates official warnings, precipitation data, river gauges, and mapping from various sources.
During hazardous events, trained reporters can add verified information and context from emergency response teams. Watch Duty's flood monitoring utilizes Doppler radar, USGS stream gauges, and precipitation sensors to provide a more extended warning period before conditions become catastrophic. The app's human element remains present, with reporters monitoring radio scanners, cameras, satellites, emergency dispatches, and official announcements before issuing warnings.
Watch Duty's user base has grown since its inception, with 16.8 million active users in 2025 and eight million users during the Los Angeles fires. The flood coverage is free and ad-free, and the organization has plans to expand the all-hazards system in the future.
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