Fire Watch

Ring has partnered with Watch Duty, a non-profit, to bring Fire Watch to neighbors nationwide. Fire Watch is a new feature in the Ring app that empowers neighbors to use their outdoor Ring cameras to look out for fires and provide the community and first responders with real-time information during active fire events.

When Watch Duty identifies a new fire, they send its location to Ring to establish a Search Area within those boundaries. If your Ring device is within this Search Area, Fire Watch is temporarily activated and your cameras will begin looking for signs of fire and smoke. If spotted, your camera will let you know. Neighbors in the Search Area can temporarily enable snapshot sharing with first responders and the public via Watch Duty. Additionally, you and your neighbors can choose to share photos, videos and updates with the community through the Neighbors app, providing valuable information to help everyone stay safe.

No. Fire Watch is not an early alert system and only activates when Watch Duty reports a known fire near your outdoor camera's location. During an active fire event, your camera can help detect signs of fire and smoke—but only for the duration of the emergency and only within the affected area.

During an active event, you can choose to share snapshots with Watch Duty. Periodic static images (not videos) from selected cameras may be published publicly on Watch Duty, along with location and fire detected signals. You’re in control—sharing is completely optional and you can stop sharing at any time through the Ring app. If you choose not to share with Watch Duty, you can still use Fire Watch to look for signs of fire and smoke and get alerted if detected.

During a fast-moving fire, accurate, real-time information is essential. Fire Watch transforms how communities can work together during a disaster. You can:

• Help your neighbors stay informed about the fire's movement.
• Give first responders unprecedented situational awareness with your footage.
• Contribute to a more resilient community that can respond to and recover from disasters more effectively.

Yes. Your privacy and control are top priorities. Here’s how we protect your information:

• Adjust Your Settings: You have the choice to turn off Search Party or Fire Watch, at any time in your Control Center settings.
• You Choose to Share: Your ring cameras will continue to operate as normal. It’s up to you to decide whether or not to share that footage with neighbors or Watch Duty.
• Limited Activation: The feature is only active for a limited time (during a known fire) and within a specific geographic area (the Search Area).

No. Fire Watch will automatically be available for Ring users with eligible outdoor Ring cameras in the United States. Indoor cameras are not included in Search Party. You can manage your settings to customize which cameras participate or turn off the feature at any time

Yes, if your device falls within a Search Area, you will be notified through the Ring app via push notification. You will also receive updates throughout the event to stay informed.