Watch Duty surpasses ChatGPT as top free app on App Store as California fires spread

Watch Duty, an app to track wildfires with live maps and alerts, has become the No. 1 free app in Apple’s App Store as of Wednesday morning. The fire-tracking app surpassed the ChatGPT app for the No. 1 spot as devastating fires continue to rage across Southern California.

Watch Duty has been around since 2021 and says it’s used by firefighters and first responders across the western United States.

The Watch Duty app pulls information about active wildfires from a network of active and retired firefighters, first responders, official government reports, and volunteer reporters who monitor radio scanners around the clock. While other fire-tracking apps solely rely on government alerts, Watch Duty claims to have more real-time information. However, it’s important to remember the app is not a replacement for official information.

Downloading the app will show you wildfires in your immediate area, and alert you about nearby fires, evacuation warnings, and firefighting efforts.

You can also use the app to check in other areas, which may be especially helpful if you have loved ones in Southern California.

The fire-tracking app shot to the top of the charts Wednesday morning as more than 70,000 people in and around Los Angeles county face evacuation orders from the Palisades Fire near Santa Monica and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena. At the time of writing, the Associated Press reports that the fires have destroyed more than 1,000 structures and killed at least two people. The fires continue to rage, pushed by a ferocious windstorm affecting the area, with winds topping out at 100 mph.

“Friends in LA: Download the Watch Duty app to track the fire in real time,” said Ryan Petersen, the CEO of Flexport, in a tweet on Tuesday. “It’s the official wild fire app used by the firemen in California with very granular real time updates, video feeds and evacuation maps.”

The app’s founder and CEO, John Mills, told the Washington Post earlier this year that he started Watch Duty after moving to a fire-prone area of Northern California.