As wildfires continue to ravage several different parts of Los Angeles, the devastation caused by the raging inferno is growing exponentially, with the BBC reporting at least 10 confirmed deaths, in excess of 10,000 structures destroyed and 180,000 residents under immediate evacuation orders.
While there have been at least eight different hot spots since the fires started, first responders have managed to contain three and are continuing to work tirelessly to get the other blazes under control, working day and night to extinguish the flames and enact evacuation orders to keep residents out of harm’s way.
For many, this devastating start to the year bears an eery resemblance to the beginning of 2020 and the California wildfires that destroyed millions of acres across the state. Shockingly, the current disaster affecting Los Angeles has already been dubbed the worst wildfire in the city’s history, and with more fires located outside of LA and in the broader California region, the disaster is starting to rank on a state-wide level too.
Naturally, the biggest concern is keeping people safe and protecting property as far as possible, and a significant component of being able to do that successfully is having the ability to communicate with large groups of people effectively and disseminate important information quickly and accurately.
Technology is playing a big part in making this possible, and as such, several applications have been developed in an attempt to help keep people informed and safe during wildfires.
What Purpose Can Apps Serve In Keeping People Safe During Wildfires?
Apps related to wildfires are mostly about enabling and encouraging useful information to be spread to those in the affected areas, from residents and landowners to reporters, news teams and first responders.
Some of the most important things that these apps can assist with include:
- Early warnings
- Evacuation routes
- Predictions about how and where fires may spread
- Air quality information
- Community updates
- Resource availability and access
- Recovery support
- Tips for being prepared
Indeed, as these apps become more advanced and gain access to more information, their utility increases dramatically.
Top Apps To Help Keep You Safe During Wildfires
Of course, wildfires aren’t only a problem in California and the United States. Plenty of other parts of the world face similar issues, with the summertime being a particularly risky time for major flare ups. Parts of Australia, South Africa and Southern Europe (among other areas) are also particularly vulnerable.
These are the top seven apps that have been created with the intention of contributing to keeping people safe during wildfires.
Frontline Wildfire Defense
Frontline Wildfire Defense is the developer of a wildfire defense system that was designed for the purpose of helping to protect people, businesses and homes from potential wildfires.
The company’s remote fire department is able to provide structure protection in locations when firefighters aren’t able to get there. It also leverages patent-pending technology to monitor active wildfires and activate class A foam, exterior fire sprinklers to protect homes anywhere in the world.
It also allows users to track wildfires and receive important notifications to help people navigate wildfires safely.
Watch Duty
Watch Duty is a non-profit organisation, and its primary role is to gather information on wildfires and share information with users. Information and data is gathered from official sources, volunteer reports and radio communications.
One of the main data sources is information that’s intercepted by radio scanners. From there, Watch Duty cross-checks the information with other reliable sources and once everything’s been verified, they create wildfire maps and real-time alerts.
Emergency alerts are crucial in preparing us for impending dangers and ensuring that we take the necessary actions, such as evacuating an area when required. Like the other tools listed, Watchduty is not an official emergency alert system, but it’s a valuable addition to consider.
Disaster Alert
Disaster Alert is a free application that facilitates the monitoring of wildfires and other disasters (including other things like hurricanes, earthquakes and more).
The app allows users to set up customised alerts based on their geographic area of interest and the severity of hazards. Once a hazard alert has been received, users can click on it to get more information including a description of what’s going on, when it was reported and when it was last updated. It’ll also provide information on how many homes are vulnerable.
Potentially most useful, Disaster Alert provides a global map that shows hazards all around the world.
Augurisk
Augurisk is a platform that helps assess the risk of natural hazards, providing predictive analysis nd risk scoring for various types of events. The app also offers information for specific US locations and how vulnerable they are to certain kinds of hazards. It’s also able to conduct risk assessments on a county level, taking into account things like climate change and more.
Augurisk uses machine learning algorithms to create risk scores for certain areas. The data is available in various formats which can be obtained via their API. The purpose of the app is to keep the general public informed about the potential risks posed by wildfires.
Fireguard Wildfire Tracker
Fireguard Wildfire Tracker is an app that allows for the monitoring of wildfires all over the world in real time. By means of satellite-based technology, the app provides users with a tracking app.
The app is updated in real time, providing up-to-date information on the locations of fires as well as the relative progression. Furthermore, it also monitors facilities, equipment and resources in remote locations.
Firespot
Created for iPhones and iPads, Firespot has an up-to-date database of the locations of fires as well as their perimeters by means of an aggregation of multiple reliable resources.
In addition to providing alerts about fires starting, their progress and when they’ve been contained, the app also provides updates on things like wind, soil moisture, water vapour and vegetation data, indicating where fires are likely to spread to.
