Watch Duty displays official evacuation zones when we can reliably import and display them. However, evacuation zones may not appear in Watch Duty for every incident or county.

If you don't see an evacuation zone you expect to see, here are the most common reasons why.

The evacuation doesn't use a defined zone

Not every evacuation order or warning follows a pre-planned evacuation zone.

Sometimes, officials describe an evacuation area using roads, landmarks, or other geographic boundaries. For example:

“West of Hwy 95 from Midvale Hill to Weiser at Indianhead Rd.”

When an evacuation is issued this way, there isn't a defined zone for Watch Duty to display on the map.

We'll still share available evacuation information in the incident's Evacuation Notes, including links to official local sources when available.

Watch Duty can't reliably display the county's zones

Before displaying a county's evacuation zones, we need to be able to reliably match the zones shown in Watch Duty with the official zones used by local authorities.

Our requirements are designed to make sure:

• Zones in Watch Duty match the official source
• The information won't create confusion during an active evacuation
• Changes in evacuation status can be reflected quickly and accurately

If we can't meet these requirements for a county, we may direct users to the county's official evacuation map instead.

The county doesn't use its pre-planned zones during incidents

A county may have pre-planned evacuation zones but choose not to use them during an actual emergency.

For example, pre-planned Genasys evacuation zones exist throughout Oregon, but not every county uses those zones when issuing evacuations. Some agencies instead create evacuation areas using other mapping systems, such as RAPTOR, PerimeterMap, or ArcGIS.

Because the evacuation areas used during an incident may differ from the county's pre-planned zones, Watch Duty won't assume that a pre-planned zone is active unless it matches the evacuation information issued by local authorities.

What to do if you don't see an evacuation zone

Evacuation zones appear automatically when Watch Duty receives an official evacuation declaration that we can reliably map. There is no setting you need to turn on to see them.

If you don't see an expected zone:

• Select the incident and check its Evacuation Notes for the latest evacuation information.
• Look for links to official county or agency evacuation maps.
• Follow instructions from local authorities if their evacuation information differs from what you're seeing in Watch Duty.

During an emergency, always follow evacuation instructions issued by local authorities.