Watch Duty, the nonprofit wildfire alert app, announced in 2026 that it is expanding its disaster-monitoring service to include flood alerts. The update is free for existing users and marks the first new disaster type added to the platform since it launched with a focus on wildfires.
Users who allow location tracking will receive push notifications if they are near a flood zone. The app also lets users find the nearest water-level buoy and set alerts for when water height reaches a threshold that could signal a flooding threat. Flood information on Watch Duty will focus on floodplain locations and current water levels, rather than granular, moment-by-moment updates.
Watch Duty CEO John Mills says flooding is somewhat easier to track than wildfires because water moves in more predictable patterns. The bigger challenge, he argues, is that flood data in the US is spread across multiple agencies — including FEMA, the National Weather Service, the US Geological Survey, and NOAA — making it difficult for people to get a clear, timely picture of risks near them. “You’re told to do something, but it’s too late,” Mills said. “With Watch Duty, you can start to piece together a bunch of information all on one screen to make an informed decision.”
The nonprofit was founded in 2021 and initially covered California wildfires before expanding to the entire US. It relies on a mix of paid reporters and volunteers who monitor emergency responder radio channels and relay information to app users. Watch Duty gained widespread attention during the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles in 2025, and has since grown its user base and formed partnerships, including one with Amazon’s Ring cameras that allows nearby users to share video footage during a fire.
Mills has said expanding to additional disaster types was always part of the plan. Integrating flood monitoring fully into the platform took time, in part due to demands during active fire seasons. More disaster categories are expected to follow.
Source: WIRED