Popular Wildfire App Watch Duty Expands to Cover Floods Nationwide


Like many on the West Coast, when fire season approaches, I switch on phone alerts from the popular free app Watch Duty. It combines reports from first responders, volunteers and other sources of data into a map and running log of nearby fires and their current status. It’s one of the few apps that goes beyond being merely useful and can genuinely save lives. Starting Monday, Watch Duty is covering floods, too.

The flooding coverage is available nationwide at no extra cost, and adds blue flood icons to Watch Duty’s maps alongside its existing red flame markers. 

Phone's showing Watch Duty's new flood alerts.

You can customize Watch Duty’s flood alerts to get the specific kinds of notifications you want. 

Watch Duty

If you already have Watch Duty, the next time you open the app you’ll be greeted with a message about flood coverage and an invitation to “Explore Flood Layers.” This’ll take you to settings where you can choose alerts for general wildfires, weather, floods or all of the above. You can also choose what type of flood alerts you receive, from watches and warnings to observed water levels or only declared FEMA flood hazard warnings. 

Watch Duty also told me that its app would be providing live reporting on specific flood incidents that could immediately endanger lives, such as dam/levee failures or downed bridges. 

This expansion follows Watch Duty’s early 2026 partnership with security company Ring, which allows Ring users to receive Watch Duty notifications through the Ring Neighbors app and opt in to using their cameras to automatically detect potential signs of fire — a feature you can turn off if you don’t want Ring’s AI watching.





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When to watch Brazil vs. Panama

  • Saturday, May 30, at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT).

Where to watch

  • There are no confirmed broadcasters for this match in the US.

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Brazil plays its final World Cup warm-up before heading to the US as it hosts Panama today at the iconic Estadio do Maracanã in Rio.

Having overseen a disappointing five wins, two draws and three defeats since taking over as Brazil boss last year, head coach Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping to improve on that record on home turf today in the penultimate friendly before next month’s tournament. 

Facing the Seleção is a Panama team preparing to step on world football’s biggest stage for only the second time in the nation’s history. Today’s tricky fixture looks set to provide an ideal test for Thomas Christiansen’s men, who face a real battle to come through a tough-looking Group L, which also features England, Croatia and Ghana. 

Brazil takes on Panama at the Estadio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, May 30. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. BRT local time. That makes it a 5:30 p.m. ET or 2:30 p.m. PT kickoff in the US and Canada. For football fans in the UK, it’s a 10:30 p.m. BST start, while for viewers in Australia, the game gets underway at 7:30 a.m. AEDT on Sunday morning. 

Carlo Ancelotti, Head Coach of Brazil, looking onwards.

Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti will have to make do without veteran star Neymar in his World Cup preparations, with the Santos forward set to miss today’s game and next week’s friendly against Egypt with a calf injury.

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Can I livestream the Brazil vs. Panama match in the US?

No broadcaster in the US has the rights to show this match live.

That also means that if you’re traveling in the US, you’re unlikely to be able to watch the game as you normally would at home due to geoblocking.     

Livestream the Brazil vs. Panama match in Brazil

This World Cup warm-up will be broadcast on free-to-air Globo Brazil, which means it will also be available to stream online via the network’s Globoplay streaming service.

Globo

Globo’s streaming service Globoplay is free to use for viewers in Brazil, with dedicated apps for Android and Apple devices, as well as Amazon Fire and other smart TVs.

Can I livestream the Brazil vs. Panama match in the UK, Canada or Australia? 

It’s the same story as the US, with no broadcaster currently scheduled to show this World Cup warm-up match live in any of these three regions.

How to watch the Brazil vs. Panama match online from anywhere using a VPN

If you’re traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the international soccer action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming.  

It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds. Additionally, it can be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, providing an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.  

However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN use to access region-specific content. If you’re considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform’s terms of service to ensure compliance.

If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider’s installation instructions to ensure you’re connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verify whether your streaming subscription allows VPN use.

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