America's leading wildfire application is now focusing on much larger disasters.
Watch Duty has become crucial during wildfires and is now aiming to alert users about floods.
Watch Duty gained popularity as one of the apps millions of Americans sought after wildfires ravaged Los Angeles in early 2025. The nonprofit organization's goal is to extend its services to cover other natural disasters.
CEO and cofounder John Mills shared with Fast Company that the initiative to include flood monitoring has been in the works for several years. Nationwide flood coverage was officially launched on June 8, allowing anyone in the United States to access flood data and mapping, in addition to the existing wildfire information within the app.
Flood alerts are now available on Watch Duty.
Watch Duty
Watch Duty established itself by transforming a chaotic flow of emergency information into a format that people can quickly comprehend. The new flood monitoring system consolidates official alerts, rainfall data, river gauges, and maps that would typically be found on various separate platforms. During critical situations, trained reporters can provide verified information and context from emergency response teams.
Mills notes that the management of floods differs from that of wildfires. Watch Duty utilizes Doppler radar, USGS stream gauges, and precipitation sensors capable of offering extended information before conditions escalate into disasters. The organization also incorporates reports from NOAA and the National Weather Service to clarify what changes in river levels or rainfall imply for nearby communities.
In addition to this, Watch Duty's reporters will keep an eye on radio scanners, cameras, satellites, emergency dispatches, and official announcements before determining if an event poses a risk to life or property, ensuring the human element is present before alerts are issued.
Watch Duty
The wildfire app is evolving into a disaster app.
Since its launch, Watch Duty's scale has been continuously growing. In December 2025, it expanded its national wildfire monitoring, with its annual report for 2025 indicating that active users reached 16.8 million. During the wildfires in Los Angeles alone, Watch Duty reportedly assisted eight million users while maintaining complete uptime.
Flood coverage remains free and free of advertisements, just like its wildfire alerts. Watch Duty has also indicated its plans extend beyond these two hazards, with the annual report highlighting aspirations for an all-hazards system that can deliver reliable emergency information across the nation.
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America's leading wildfire application is now focusing on much larger disasters.
Watch Duty established its reputation by monitoring rapidly spreading wildfires, and providing nationwide flood coverage is the initial move towards transforming the nonprofit into a more extensive disaster-alert platform.