The wildfire cameras you see in Watch Duty are operated by our camera partners. Watch Duty makes camera imagery available but does not own, install, or directly operate the cameras.

Who operates the cameras?

Many of the wildfire cameras available in Watch Duty are provided by ALERT West, ALERT California, and ALERT Wildfire. 

These cameras can capture panoramic views of the surrounding area and are used to help identify and monitor smoke and wildfire activity.

Camera availability is managed by the camera operator. Occasionally, a camera may be temporarily offline or unavailable for reasons outside Watch Duty's control. When our team identifies an issue with a partner camera, we can report it to the camera operator.

Can Watch Duty provide camera footage or recordings?

No. Watch Duty does not own or host the underlying camera footage.

We display imagery made available by our camera partners, but we don't have access to retrieve or provide camera recordings on their behalf.

If you need historical footage or a recording from a particular camera, you'll need to contact the organization that operates that camera.

Can I request a wildfire camera in my area?

Watch Duty does not place or install wildfire cameras directly. Camera locations, site evaluations, installation, and maintenance are handled by the organizations that operate the camera networks.

If you're interested in having an ALERTWest camera installed in your area, contact ALERTWest directly to learn about their site evaluation and installation process.