Wildfires can be devastating, and as these disasters become more and more common, residents in fire-prone areas must be prepared. If you live in a state that experiences frequent wildfires, like California, Colorado, or Oregon, a high-quality wildfire tracking app can help you stay safe and stay up-to-date with local emergencies. Read on to discover three of the best apps for tracking wildfires.
Or, if you’re simply looking for the best free (and ad-free) app, download the free Frontline Wildfire Defense App today.
3 Best Apps for Tracking Wildfires
Due to changing climate conditions, wildfire season can last the entire year in some areas, making it necessary for people in these areas to actively monitor local wildfire incidents. The apps listed below pull data from reputable sources to help users track wildfires and other emergencies.
We chose these three apps among the best wildfire tracking apps because they each grant users access to accurate wildfire maps, wildfire alerts, up-to-date weather information, and other resources to stay safe during wildfire season. Here are three of the most useful wildfire tracking apps available on iOS and Android.
1. Frontline Wildfire Tracker
Frontline Wildfire Tracker is the best wildfire tracking app for iOS and Android. You can use the app to view a wildfire map and track active wildfires that may threaten your home and community.
Users will also receive emergency alerts, including red flag warnings and evacuation alerts, to help them stay safe during wildfire season. You can create emergency groups to share emergency notifications with those close to you, and you can view accurate weather information, including temperature and wind conditions.
The Frontline Wildfire Tracker app also includes step-by-step checklists to help users prepare for evacuation, and you can use the app to remotely control your Frontline Wildfire Home Defense System.
Frontline Wildfire Tracker is completely ad-free and also free to use, making it a must-have for residents that live in fire-prone areas.
2. Disaster Alert
Disaster Alert is a free app for iOS and Android that lets users monitor wildfires and other disasters. The app is built on PDC’s DisasterAWARE®️ platform, which helps the app provide real-time updates about 18 different types of natural hazards, including wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and winter storms.
Users can set up customized alerts based on their geographic area of interest and hazard severity. After receiving a hazard alert, you can click on it to view more information, including when it was reported, when it was last updated, and an in-depth description of the event. The app also shows users how many people and homes may be exposed to the disaster.
Users can also view a global map to find hazards reported around the world and access visualized modeled hazard data.
3. Fireguard Wildfire Tracker
Fireguard Wildfire Tracker offers fire alerts and near real-time tracking of fire locations to help users monitor wildfire activity near them. The app pulls data from the NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System, which includes fires detected with satellite infrared imaging technology.
With the Fireguard Wildfire Tracker app, users can see hotspots, US and Canada wildfire incident reports, wildfire burned area boundaries, NOAA smoke areas, Cal Fire incident details, fire cameras, fire weather risk areas, and crowdsourced fire report markers.
The app is free to use and does not require an account. Users can get started quickly by opening the app and tapping “Fires near me” to get an instant look at wildfire incidents in their area.
More Helpful Information on Wildfires
In addition to the apps listed above, the information below can help protect your home and your loved ones in the case of wildfires.
What Causes Wildfires?
There are a variety of natural and manmade causes of wildfires, including:
- Lightning: Lightning strikes have caused some of the largest wildfires in recent history. During warm and dry months, lightning can easily ignite dry vegetation.
- Burning Embers: Embers from small fires or extinguished fires can drift for miles and ignite dry vegetation, leading to major wildfires.
- Power Lines: Fallen power lines can ignite vegetation or other fuel sources and cause major fires.
- Campfires: Unattended campfires can spread to nearby trees and vegetation. Campers should exercise extreme caution when camping for this reason and avoid lighting fires during fire season.
- Discarded cigarettes: Discarded cigarettes should always be disposed of properly as throwing them on the ground can start fires by igniting dry leaves and other fuel sources.
These are just a few of the many possible causes of wildfires. Residents in fire-prone areas should exercise extreme caution during fire season and avoid any activities that could potentially cause a fire.
How to Protect Your Home From Wildfires
On top of monitoring local wildfire incidents, residents in fire-prone areas should take steps to protect their homes against wildfires.
Keep these tips in mind to defend your home and belongings against wildfires:
- Create a defensible space: Creating a defensible space can make it more difficult for wildfires to spread to your home. This includes trimming bushes and trees, mowing your lawn, spacing out vegetation, and removing flammable items from your home’s perimeter.
- Use fire-resistant building materials: Fire-resistant building materials make it more difficult for fires to spread to your home. This can include fire-rated glass, dual-pane windows, and other materials.
- Install a high-quality sprinkler system: Sprinkler systems, likethe Frontline Wildfire Defense sprinkler system, can proactively hydrate your home and its surroundings to protect it from ignition.
Taking these steps can help protect your home from damages caused by wildfires.
Get the No. 1 Wildfire Tracking App Today
We hope you enjoyed this guide on the best apps for tracking wildfires! Of course, we are partial to the Frontline Wildfire Defense app. Our app offers free and useful tools that can help you stay up-to-date with weather information, wildfire incidents, and more. You can also use the app to control your home wildfire defense system and stay prepared during fire season.
Our app includes several useful resources including:
- Remote wildfire defense system controls
- US and California Wildfire maps
- Weather conditions information
- Fire danger indexes
- Event notifications
- Wildfire preparation checklists
- Emergency contact groups
For more information on how you can safeguard your home and protect your family from wildland fires, contact our team at Frontline Wildfire Defense. Or, get the free app below!
More from the Frontline Blog
All Posts
Getting coverage through a California FAIR Plan can insure your property when traditional insurance companies won’t give you a...
Wildfires are one of the most unpredictable natural disasters. They can happen suddenly and grow quickly. For that reason,...
Homeowners, communities, and businesses around the country rely on fire prevention organizations to protect them against disasters and help...