Watch Duty overtakes ChatGPT as top free app on App Store as California wildfires spread

See Dutyapp to track wildfires with live maps and alerts became the No. 1 free app in the Apple App Store as of Wednesday morning. As devastating wildfires continue in Southern California, the fire tracking app has overtaken ChatGPT for the #1 spot. ChatGPT was ranked #1 in the US as of August 9, according to intelligence provider Appfigures.

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

The Watch Duty app pulls information about active fires 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 monitoring apps rely solely on government alerts, Watch Duty claims to have more real-time information. However, it is important to remember that the program is not a substitute for official information.

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

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

The fire watch program topped the charts Wednesday morning as more than 70,000 people in and around Los Angeles County faced evacuation orders from the Palisades Fire near Santa Monica and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena. The Associated Press reports on this at the time of writing Fires destroyed more than 1000 buildings and killed at least two people. The fires continue to be pushed by strong winds that lashed the area with wind gusts of up to 100 mph.

“Friends in LA: download the Watch Duty app to follow the fire in real time,” said Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen. tweet on tuesday. “This is the official wildfire app used by firefighters in California with highly detailed real-time updates, video feeds and evacuation maps.”

John Mills, the founder and CEO of the program, informed about this The Washington Post earlier this year, he started Watch Duty after moving to a fire-prone area of ​​Northern California.

Update: This story was originally published on January 8th and was updated on January 9th to reflect how long ChatGPT has been at the top spot.