# FWAS–Fire Weather Alert System — Wildfire Weather Alerts

> Fire weather alerts and mapping for firefighter safety. (iPhone/iPad app by USDA Forest Service.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fwasfire-weather-alert-system/id6445856411 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [USDA Forest Service](https://appshunter.io/developer/949583790)
- Category: Weather
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.14/5 from 7 App Store ratings · 4 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 10.0 · 200 MB
- Released: 2023-09-28
- Data updated: 2026-06-01
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fwasfire-weather-alert-system/id6445856411/reviews.md

## What is FWAS?

Many firefighters have been entrapped due to rapid changes in weather causing unexpected fire behavior. These weather events are often predictable using local weather measurements and forecasts, but on-the-ground firefighters have historically lacked access to this information. The Fire Weather Alert System provides this access. It monitors nearby weather observations and forecasts to warn firefighters of dangerous incoming weather and provides convenient map-based access to fire-specific weather information (RAWS, NWS zone fire weather forecasts, NEXRAD radar data, etc.). 
GET CUSTOM WEATHER ALERTS
•	Get custom weather alerts when wind speed, wind gust, relative humidity, air temperature, and precipitation exceed your set thresholds.
•	RAWS/ASOS stations and short-term forecasts (HRRR model) are monitored.
•	Designate the watch area for your fire.
•	Alerts broadcast using in-app messages, text, and/or email.
VIEW RAWS DATA
•	Select weather stations from a map and view data in graph and tabular form.
•	Access RAWS, iRAWS, ASOS, and other station networks.
VIEW SATELLITE HOTSPOTS
•	Display VIIRS and MODIS hotspots on the map.
VIEW INCIDENT LOCATIONS AND FIRE PERIMETERS
•	View incident name, type, size, and most recent perimeter (including smaller IA fires).
VIEW NWS WATCHES, WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES
•	See National Weather Service Active Alerts on the map and read the text.
•	Monitor Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, Wind Advisories, Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, etc.
ACCESS ZONE FIRE WEATHER FORECASTS
•	Access and read your local fire weather forecast.
•	See fire weather zone names and boundaries on the map.
MONITOR APPROACHING STORMS WITH NEXRAD RADAR
•	Display animated radar data on the map.

## Key features

- Custom weather alerts
- RAWS/ASOS station data
- Fire-specific weather forecasts
- Satellite hotspot mapping
- Incident location and fire perimeters
- NWS watches, warnings, and advisories
- NEXRAD radar data

## Recent user reviews (4 of 4)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fwasfire-weather-alert-system/id6445856411/reviews.md

### 2/5 — 2 stars for the days it did work

*2024-11-13*

I live in the forest as a park ranger and wanted an app to alert me, in addition to the one I have.
There are 3000+ acres burning 4 miles away & the map is not showing it, nor is it pink.
Firefighters have died, farm animals are being evacuated, the wildlife is suffering & our homes are in danger & this app is showing nothing.
I’m getting more alerts from the standard weather app.
I recommend people put their zip code into nixel.us for alerts.
This app is a huge disappointment when you are terrified

### 3/5 — Extend watch length please

*2024-07-30*

Need to be able to set watches for longer then 1 week.

### 5/5 — The future of fire weather.

*2024-04-21*

This makes it so much easier to access the fire weather forecast from a mobile device. It is also super handy to set notifications for thresholds in your local area.

**Developer response:** Thanks for the feedback! We're glad you're finding the app useful.

### 1/5 — Local weather stations unable to load data

*2024-02-21*

My local weather stations won’t load any data

**Developer response:** Thanks for reporting this issue. We just released a new version of the app that fixed many bugs and also added many new features. Please let us know if you try it out and still run into issues in the new version.

## Frequently asked questions about FWAS

### What is FWAS?

FWAS stands for Fire Weather Alert System. It is a free weather application designed to provide critical weather information and custom alerts to firefighters to help them anticipate dangerous fire behavior and prevent entrapments.

### Does FWAS have ads?

No, FWAS does not contain advertisements. It is a free application developed by the US Forest Service, focusing on providing essential safety information without commercial interruptions.

### What kind of weather data does FWAS provide?

FWAS provides access to RAWS/ASOS station data, short-term forecasts (HRRR model), satellite hotspots (VIIRS and MODIS), NWS watches, warnings, and advisories, and animated NEXRAD radar data.

### Can I set custom alerts in FWAS?

Yes, you can set custom weather alerts in FWAS. You can designate a watch area for your fire and receive alerts when wind speed, wind gust, relative humidity, air temperature, and precipitation exceed your set thresholds.

### How are alerts delivered in FWAS?

Alerts from FWAS can be broadcast using in-app messages, text messages, and/or email, ensuring that critical weather information reaches users through multiple channels.

### What devices is FWAS compatible with?

FWAS is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It is designed to be accessible on Apple's mobile operating systems.

### How often is FWAS updated?

The latest version of FWAS is 2.3.0.2, which was last updated on August 25, 2024. This indicates a relatively active development cycle for the application.

### What is the user rating for FWAS?

FWAS has a user rating of 3.1 stars based on 7 ratings. While this indicates room for improvement, it reflects the experiences of its current user base.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 2.3.0.2 — 2024-08-25

Fixes included in this release: 
•	Incident layer now refreshing automatically
•	Basemap caching corrected
•	Caching user's map location
•	Improvements to Lightning Alerts
•	Improvements to WW&A
•	Intermittent log out message when switching tabs

### 2.2.0 — 2024-05-30

New capabilities:
•	Alerts for lightning occurrence from ground and satellite sensors
•	In-app push notifications introduced
•	Ability to share watches and broadcast messages to subscribers
•	Ability to query the fire weather matrix for any point on the map
Additional situational awareness layers:
•	Spot weather forecasts 
•	Cell coverage maps 
•	Windy cameras 
•	Visualization of lightning strikes and lightning density

### 1.1.0.2 — 2024-02-04

What’s New:
•	Added a disclaimer for SMS malfunctioning with certain carriers.
•	Fixed bugs in the account registration process.
•	Added the refresh time to the notifications tab when the last server sync occurred.
•	Corrected the units error when drawing the watch radius.
Known Bugs/Issues:
•	User accounts may periodically become disconnected from the server.  In this case, the app fails to send watches to the server, resulting in users not receiving alerts.  A weekly reinstallation is recommended. 
•	Work is underway to correct this issue in the next release.

### 1.0 — 2023-09-28

No release notes.

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## More apps by USDA Forest Service

- [Alabama Great Escapes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alabama-great-escapes/id982222721)
- [WindNinja Mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/windninja-mobile/id1086703676)
- [USFS – Pacific Southwest LZs](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usfs-pacific-southwest-lzs/id1107630681)
- [Rocky Mtn National Forests](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rocky-mtn-national-forests/id1156230107)
- [Forest Service Eastern Region](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-service-eastern-region/id1212616483)
- [Lolo National Forest](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lolo-national-forest/id1222011536)

All apps by USDA Forest Service: https://appshunter.io/developer/949583790

## Related topics

[fwas](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/fwas) · [forest fire alerts](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/forest-fire-alerts) · [redflag alerts](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/redflag-alerts)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*