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If you live near an area that experiences frequent wildfires, you need a good fire map app.
Here are some of the most useful fire map apps you can install on your phone so you’re alerted early when there’s a fire threat in your area. This can give you extra time to gather your belongings and evacuate as quickly as possible.
See Active Fires In Your Area: Wildfire Info
What We Like
Fast, responsive map showing wildfire locations.
See date of wildfire with one tap.
Multiple databases used for maps.
What We Don’t Like
Opens browser to view detailed fire information.
Interface is not intuitive.
No way to overlay all databases on one map.
The Wildfire Info app lets you view a satellite map with icons representing the locations of fires reported to various wildfire government organizations.
From the menu, you can select the organization to see all recently reported fires.
The map loads and responds quickly to finger gestures. Tap the icon to see when the fire occurred, and tap again to visit the government website page with more information about that fire.
Download For:
See Local Fire Hazards: AFIS
What We Like
Easy to check local fire threats by long-pressing the map.
Easy navigation to see fire threats and fire history.
Detailed information about fire history in the area.
What We Don’t Like
Difficult to open in current location by default.
Interface is not intuitive.
Must choose a location to see wildfire threats.
AFIS is a useful app for monitoring the current threat of a wildfire starting in your area. The location feature doesn’t work with all devices, so you may need to scroll around the map with your finger to your location. When you long-press on the map, you’ll see a pin revealing a score for the overall fire danger threat.
The Fire Danger navigation tab shows the fire threat forecast for the week, while the History tab shows details about past wildfires in this area.
The app isn’t good for seeing the location of current active wildfires in your area, but it’s excellent for staying aware when the threat of a wildfire is high.
Download For:
Monitor Fire and Other Disasters: DisasterAlert
What We Like
Very detailed disaster map.
Includes a variety of disaster types.
Includes realtime radar weather info.
What We Don’t Like
Doesn’t use phone’s GPS location data.
Map can seem cluttered at times.
Alert icons remain on map for days following disaster.
DisasterAlert by PDC Global is one of the most well-known websites for monitoring global disasters in real time. The DisasterAlert mobile app is an extension of that effort and provides information that’s as detailed and up-to-date as the website.
The app will provide you with early warnings about all disasters in your area, not only wildfires. These may include tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, and even biological hazards.
Because the app monitors all disasters, it may seem a little too cluttered for users who are only looking for wildfire information.
Download For:
See Local Wildfires When They Start: Fireguard
What We Like
Detailed, satellite view maps.
Simple one-touch fire search.
Reveals unreported fires early.
No account necessary.
What We Don’t Like
Interface is not intuitive.
Limited information about fires.
App has very few features.
iOS app costs.
Fireguard is an impressive app that pulls data from fires detected with the use of satellite infrared imaging technology. This means you’ll see alerts from the app long before anyone else may receive reports of the fire – including emergency personnel.
On the downside, there’s little information available in the app about each hotspot.
Download For:
Monitor California Wild Fires: Cal Fire Ready for Wildfire App
What We Like
Specific to California.
Includes Ready, Set, Go! preparation guide.
Can create customized notices.
Sponsored by the State of California, the Ready for Wildfire app is available on the web. This app is designed to be a first-alert-type app that notifies users of nearby wildfires and provides them with evacuation tips and routes.
However, there seems to be some difficulty getting alerts on time, and many users report the app isn’t updated frequently enough.
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