The LA Wildfires: GOES App Proves Its Worth

In the heart of California, firefighters battle the flames of the Sunset Fire. In the midst of this chaos, Viktor Makarskyy, the head of technology at GOES, finds his work hitting closer to home than ever. Makarskyy's invention, the GOES app, is a digital survival tool designed to help people in disaster zones. As wildfires raged around Los Angeles in January 2025, the app saw a huge surge in users. Makarskyy's personal experience with the fires highlighted the app's value. GOES, founded in 2021, originally focused on providing health advice for remote areas. It offered tips on dealing with bug bites, altitude illnesses, and more. The app could even be used offline, making it a reliable companion for hikers and backpackers. However, as natural disasters became more common, GOES found itself relevant in urban settings too. In Los Angeles, the app's usage skyrocketed. The fires burned homes, caused evacuations, and filled the air with smoke. Makarskyy, who was traveling at the time, used GOES to check air quality, national alerts, and wildfire preparedness guides. He found that GOES's hyperlocal air quality measurement was far more accurate than popular weather apps. GOES isn't alone in its utility during disasters. The Watch Duty app, also founded in 2021, provided precise fire tracking and evacuation information. Both apps helped residents navigate the chaos. Makarskyy shared that he was fortunate to find his home untouched by the flames. He and his wife slept through the night with their cat, waking up to an ash-covered car. Camilo Barcenas, the CEO of GOES, believes that the app is part of a larger shift in wilderness medicine. The outdoors are changing, and so are the risks. GOES aims to democratize wilderness medicine, making it accessible to everyone, whether in remote areas or urban settings. The wildfires of Los Angeles highlighted this whether people realized it or not.