Californians have a new, free way to follow wildfires and evacuation orders. Cal Fire and local emergency agencies have launched AwareCA, a mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play that delivers updates directly from the agencies managing an incident.
What it does
The app shows near real-time incident updates, interactive maps, evacuation warning and order zones, shelter and assistance locations, road closures and hazard layers, according to Cal Fire's announcement. Users can save places they care about, such as home, work or a relative's address, set how close an incident must be before they're notified, and follow and share specific incidents. The official site says it also displays response aircraft and their flight paths and links to Caltrans traffic cameras and ALERTCalifornia wildfire cameras.
It isn't only for fires. Cal Fire says AwareCA covers floods, earthquakes, severe weather, hazardous materials spills and other large emergencies.
Where the information comes from
Cal Fire spokesman Tyree Zander told the Press Democrat that the information is fed by public information officers from whichever agency has jurisdiction over an emergency. For Cal Fire incidents, the same updates that go to the agency's website will post to the app at the same time. The Los Angeles Fire Department, the U.S. Forest Service, Ventura County Fire and San Diego Fire-Rescue are among agencies already using it.
"We know the public wants fast, accurate, mobile-first information directly from the agencies managing incidents on the ground," Cal Fire Director Joe Tyler said.
The app was built by the software company Intterra, which Cal Fire picked in a competitive process to create a statewide public safety information platform. Cal Fire-Butte County spokesman Rick Carhart told the Chico Enterprise-Record that the app isn't owned by Cal Fire but will be used heavily by the agency, and that it's meant to "shrink down" the time it takes to get information out.
A rival for Watch Duty
The Press Democrat noted that the launch gives new competition to Watch Duty, the nonprofit app many Northern Californians have leaned on during recent fires. Agency participation varies by county, so it's worth checking whether your local fire and sheriff's offices post to AwareCA, and keeping your county's own emergency alert signup in place.