Watch Duty: Wildfire Maps

What it does

Watch Duty is a non-profit public safety app focused on providing real-time information about wildfires. It serves as a centralized hub for monitoring active incidents, receiving timely alerts for specific areas, and accessing critical information like evacuation orders and road closures. The app combines official data with updates from a team of volunteer reporters to give users a comprehensive view of ongoing events.

Where it shines

Watch Duty excels at transforming raw data into actionable intelligence during a crisis. The main map view at 01:08 immediately provides situational awareness, showing the location and status of multiple fires. The true strength is revealed when a user selects an incident at 01:21. The app presents a comprehensive incident hub, not just a data point. This hub includes a live feed of updates from reporters, details on containment, links to evacuation maps, and shelter information, making it an indispensable tool for anyone in an affected area.

UX highlights

Frictionless Onboarding: The app gets users to its core utility almost immediately by skipping mandatory account creation. The entire setup, including notification permissions and county selection, is completed in about a minute.
Actionable Legend: The map legend, accessible at 01:11, is incredibly detailed. It clearly explains the meaning of every icon and map overlay, which is crucial for an app presenting complex, high-stakes information.
Granular Control: Users can customize the map with an extensive 'Layers' menu (03:12), allowing them to toggle everything from satellite hotspots to air quality data, tailoring the view to their specific needs.
Deep Incident Information: The incident detail screen (01:43) is more than just stats. It's a full command center with tabs for updates, shelter info, and links to official resources like county re-entry packets.
Clear Premium Feature Gating: Premium features like the Flight Tracker are clearly marked. Attempting to use one, as seen at 03:32, triggers a simple, contextual upgrade prompt.
Focus on Trust: From the first screen, the app emphasizes its non-profit status. Updates within incident feeds are attributed to named reporters, adding a layer of human accountability.

Monetization & growth

Monetization is handled through a premium membership, presented as a way to 'Support Our Mission'. Instead of a disruptive upfront paywall, the app uses a contextual approach. Prompts to join appear when a user tries to access a members-only feature, such as tracking more than four counties (00:42) or enabling the fire aircraft tracker (03:32). This makes the value proposition clear at the moment of intent. The membership costs $24.99 per year and unlocks premium features, creating a straightforward revenue model that aligns with the app's non-profit mission.

Who it’s for

This app is primarily for residents living in wildfire-prone regions, particularly in the American West. It's also a valuable tool for first responders, journalists covering wildfires, and individuals with family or property in at-risk areas. The level of detail suggests a user base that needs more than just a headline; they need actionable, location-specific intelligence to make informed safety decisions.

Notes & opportunities

The app is highly functional, but the main map can feel cluttered when zoomed out, as seen around 04:15, with numerous icons and data points overlapping. A clustering mechanism or a simplified high-level view could improve readability. Additionally, while the onboarding is fast, the county selection list (00:29) could be enhanced with a search bar to help users in states with many counties find theirs more quickly.