Wildfire Map Layers and Incident Context
Watch Duty’s main workspace is a live wildfire map designed to put changing incidents in geographic context. Active and historical fire perimeters, satellite hotspots, wind information, evacuation orders, shelter details, and response activity can be combined to show what is happening around a place rather than forcing users to compare separate feeds.
Map controls keep a wide area readable. The visible Layers and Legend buttons make it easier to turn information on or off, while the location control centers the view and the search field accepts an incident, address, or place. Street and satellite views give residents, travelers, and families different ways to understand nearby roads, communities, and fire movement.
County Alerts and Saved Places
County subscriptions turn a broad wildfire map into a more personal alert routine. Users can add counties from the Notifications area so important changes in a chosen area can reach the phone without repeatedly reopening the map. The onboarding flow also makes the purpose clear: county choices are meant to keep local updates from being missed.
Saved places add another layer of practical context. A home, workplace, travel destination, or family location can remain easy to find on the map, while county alerts provide a wider safety net around it. Together, these tools suit anyone who wants a quick local check during a busy day and a more deliberate watch during an active fire.
Search, Messages, and Local Awareness
Watch Duty brings several ways to move from a map overview to useful local detail. Search can narrow the view to an incident, address, or place, and the navigation drawer provides direct entries for Map, Messages, Help, Places, and Notifications. That structure keeps essential actions close to the main map instead of hiding them behind a long settings path.
Messages and incident details help users follow the story behind a marker, while the Help area offers guidance when a map symbol or alert needs more explanation. The result is a practical workflow for checking a nearby fire, learning what a map layer means, and returning to saved locations without starting the search again.
Notification Controls for Everyday Preparedness
Notification controls are built for people who need timely information without giving every alert equal weight. The Notifications page includes delivery settings, a test-notification action, and county subscriptions, so users can review whether alerts are enabled and adjust the areas that matter most.
Together, these controls turn Watch Duty into an everyday preparedness tool rather than an app opened only during a crisis. A resident can choose a small set of counties, keep a saved place ready for quick access, and use the map to check conditions before traveling. The service is especially practical for households that want a clear, repeatable routine for local wildfire awareness.
