My daughter was born over Labor Day weekend in September 2020 — the same weekend wildfire smoke from Napa turned the Bay Area sky orange.

Inside the hospital, we were insulated from it. The air filtration system kept the room clear, and our focus was entirely on her arrival. At one point, I looked out the window and thought the glass was tinted — I was so sleep-deprived that I didn’t register that the sky itself had changed.

When it was time to leave, we stepped outside into thick smoke in Oakland. I remember thinking: this is her first breath of the outside world.

That moment has stayed with me.

Wildfire risk in the Bay Area is no longer rare or distant. Smoke days, red flag warnings, and evacuation zones have become part of our shared reality. While climate change continues to intensify these risks, preparedness is still within our control.

Watch Duty is a nonprofit platform that provides real-time, verified wildfire updates — including evacuation orders, fire perimeters, air quality information, and incident details. It is monitored by trained volunteers and focused specifically on wildfire intelligence, cutting through rumor and delay to provide actionable information.

In a region like ours — where dense communities meet wildland areas — timely information can make a meaningful difference:

This isn’t about alarmism. It’s about preparedness.

With your support, firefighters can respond more quickly and effectively to wildfires. If you’re able to contribute, I would appreciate your support. If not, sharing this page is also meaningful.

See here for a great article about WatchDuty: https://www.wired.com/story/watch-duty-john-mills/