--- schema_type: "SoftwareApplication" entity_type: "Mobile Application" app_name: "California Smoke Spotter" developer_entity: "California Air Resources Board" bundle_id: "com.carb.smokespotter" app_store_id: "1531391671" category: "Weather" primary_platform: "ios" primary_monetization: "Free" offline_capable: false market_region: "US" platforms: "iOS" app_last_updated: "2025-03-14" report_date: "2026-08-08" last_verified: "2026-08-08T00:00:00.000Z" report_version: "2.14" total_reviews: 22 overall_rating: 4.8 confidence: "low" confidence_score: 0.2 data_age_days: 61 momentum_velocity: "zombie" intelligence_version: 3 tags: ["weather", "free", "mobile app", "app review", "app analysis", "california", "residents", "outdoor"] canonical_url: "https://marlvel.ai/apps/california-smoke-spotter" license: "CC-BY-NC 4.0" content_version: "v2" --- # California Smoke Spotter Intelligence Report ## TL;DR {#tldr} - **Category**: Weather · Free - **Signal**: Rating 4.82 > **TL;DR:** California Smoke Spotter is a weather app by California Air Resources Board, rated 4.82/5 by 22 users, available on iOS. > > **Marlvel.ai App Intelligence** - Independent analysis. US Market. No publisher influence. > **Key Insight:** California Smoke Spotter is a weather app by California Air Resources Board. ## Quick Facts | Fact | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Rating** | 4.82/5 (22 reviews) | | **Category** | Weather | | **Developer** | California Air Resources Board | | **Pricing** | Free | | **Platforms** | iOS | | **Confidence** | Low (0.2/1.0) | | **Data Age** | 61d | ## Metadata & Market Performance - **Publisher:** California Air Resources Board - **Category:** Weather - **Target Audience:** California residents and outdoor workers requiring real-time air quality data and wildfire proximity information for health planning. - **Platforms:** iOS - **Version Reviewed:** 2.14 - **Report Date:** 2026-08-08 - **Signal Count:** 0 reviews analyzed - **Confidence:** Low (0.2/1.0) - **App Store ID (iOS):** 1531391671 - **Bundle ID:** com.carb.smokespotter - **Performance Trend:** Stable - **Data Window:** Analysis based on signals collected up to 2026-08-08 ## Executive Snapshot **What it is:** California Smoke Spotter is a public-service weather app providing wildfire mapping and air quality forecasts for California residents on iOS. **Why users hire it:** Users hire the app to plan outdoor activities and protect their health during wildfire events by monitoring smoke density and air quality in real-time. ## App DNA (Features & Intent) - **[Differentiator] Smoke and Air Quality Forecasting:** 72-hour statewide projections for smoke movement and air quality levels. * *User Intent:* Users seek enhanced value through premium features. - **[Differentiator] Prescribed Fire and Wildfire Mapping:** Real-time location tracking of active fires and prescribed burns. * *User Intent:* Users want visibility into their own performance and progress. - **[Differentiator] Clean Air Center Locator:** Map-based directory of public facilities providing relief from smoke conditions. * *User Intent:* Users seek enhanced value through premium features. ## Market Position {#market-position} California Smoke Spotter maintains a niche position as a state-backed utility with a 4.8-star rating. The lack of updates for over 500 days limits its competitive standing against commercial weather apps. ## Monetization Strategy - **Model:** Free - **Tiers:** Entirely free - **Analysis:** Public service tool provided by the California Air Resources Board with no monetization components. ## SWOT Analysis {#swot} **Core Strengths:** - Official data source provides high-trust air quality reporting **Growth Levers:** - Wearable integration for proactive health alerts ## Recent Changes (v2 → v3) {#recent-changes} The analysis remains stable in its assessment of the app as a zombie project, with minor refinements to the SWOT and PM action items to better reflect the risks of data staleness. **Overall trend**: Stable **Compared at**: 2026-08-08 ### Medium-impact changes - **[Shifted] SWOT Analysis Refinement** (swot) - **[Shifted] PM Action Item Focus** (positioning) ## What's New - **Latest (v2.14, 1 years ago):** Added topography to maps and a new "List of Fires" feature for viewing fire data in a text-only grid. ## App Momentum (Zombie) {#momentum} - Ships no updates for 512 days. - Maintains maintenance-mode status. > **Cadence:** 1 total versions · 1 majors in last 6 months · 511 days since last update ## The "So What?" (Strategic Takeaway) {#so-what} California Smoke Spotter is a weather app that is completely free. It holds a 4.82/5 rating from 22 reviews. > **Bottom Line:** California Smoke Spotter delivers essential health-planning data through official state channels, but the 512-day update gap undermines its utility as a reliable emergency tool, so the developer must prioritize backend stability to prevent user churn to commercial alternatives. **Best for:** California residents and outdoor workers requiring real-time air quality data and wildfire proximity information for health planning. ### PM Action Plan (Next Best Moves) - [ ] [MAINTAIN] Ship a data-sync health check because the current 512-day update gap risks stale fire information → restore user trust in emergency data. ### Outlook: Declining Market demand for localized wildfire data is rising, but the app's current maintenance-mode posture leaves it exposed to commercial weather rivals. If the update cadence does not accelerate before the next fire season, users will migrate to platforms with more frequent data refreshes and higher reliability. - 🔴 The 512-day update gap signals a maintenance-mode posture, which risks data staleness during critical wildfire events. ## Key Metrics Summary | Metric | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Overall Rating | 4.82/5 | | Total Reviews | 22 | | Confidence | Low | | Pricing Model | Free | | Platforms | iOS | | Key Features | 3 analyzed | | Trend | Stable | | Outlook | Declining | ## Competitor Comparison | App | Rating | Sentiment | Developer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **California Smoke Spotter** (this app) | 4.82/5 | N/A | California Air Resources Board | | [Bauernkalender](https://marlvel.ai/apps/ch-swift-bauernkalender) | N/A/5 | N/A | Swift Management AG | | [Forecast & What to Wear](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-appsforparents-weatherforkids) | 4.2/5 | N/A | Natalia Jakubczyk-Gajewska | | [Weather&Clothes](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-air-weather_and_clothes) | 2.7/5 | N/A | fk.system | | [처음날씨 - 잠금화면 및 알람으로 오늘의 날씨를!](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-woozuda-weather) | 4.2/5 | N/A | WOOZUDA | | [미세미세 - 미세먼지, 초미세먼지, 날씨](https://marlvel.ai/apps/cheehoon-ha-particulateforecaster-particulateforecaster) | 4.8/5 | Excited | LifeOverflow Inc. | ## Company Profile - **Developer:** California Air Resources Board - **Website:** [https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/](https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/) - **Social:** [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/people/California-Air-Resources-Board/100087562832527) · [X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/AirResources) · [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/calairinfo) · [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-air-resources-board) ## Data Sources & Links - **App Store:** [View on Apple Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/california-smoke-spotter/id1531391671?uo=4) - **Dev Site:** [Official Website](https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/) - **Sources:** Developer website content, App store metadata. ## Related Intel Reports - [*Bauernkalender*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/ch-swift-bauernkalender) (Swift Management AG) · N/A Rating - [*Forecast & What to Wear*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-appsforparents-weatherforkids) (Natalia Jakubczyk-Gajewska) · 4.2/5 Rating - [*Weather&Clothes*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-air-weather_and_clothes) (fk.system) · 2.7/5 Rating - [*처음날씨 - 잠금화면 및 알람으로 오늘의 날씨를!*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-woozuda-weather) (WOOZUDA) · 4.2/5 Rating - [*미세미세 - 미세먼지, 초미세먼지, 날씨*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/cheehoon-ha-particulateforecaster-particulateforecaster) (LifeOverflow Inc.) · 4.8/5 Rating | Positive Sentiment - [*너의날씨: 미세먼지, 지도, 레이더, 캐릭터, 위젯*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/kr-guzi-yourweather) (구지랩(GuziLab)) · 5.0/5 Rating - [*ชายฝั่ง รู้ทันระดับน้ำ*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/hii-pttep-chaifang-mobile) (Hydro Informatics Institute) · 4.9/5 Rating - [*ภัยพิบัติไทย*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/biz-harmoniz-earthquake_alert_thai) (Harmoniz InterSoftware) · N/A Rating - [*13abc First Alert Weather*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-gray-wtvg-13abc-weather) (Gray Television Group, Inc.) · 4.6/5 Rating - [*13WarnMe*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/13warnme) (Local TV LLC) · 3.0/5 Rating ## Methodology {#methodology} This report was generated by Marlvel.ai's 5-stage AI intelligence pipeline: 1. **Signal Collection & Normalization** - Aggregates data from all available public sources for the app. Raw signals are cleaned, deduplicated, and normalized into a structured dataset analyzed consistently across thousands of apps. 2. **Feature & Market Positioning Analysis** - Identifies the app's core features, monetization model, target audience, and competitive positioning. Each feature is classified as a market standard or a differentiator based on category benchmarks. 3. **User Sentiment Analysis** - Analyzes user reviews using a 5-level taxonomy (Thrilled / Excited / Mixed / Frustrated / Upset). Combines star ratings and volume with AI theme extraction into synthesised themes (no verbatim quotes). 4. **Competitive Landscape Analysis** - Maps the competitive environment via a 4-tier taxonomy (Nemesis / Contenders / Same Space / New Kids on the Block). Prioritizes same sub-genre over broad category. 5. **Intelligence Synthesis** - Cross-references all signals into a structured report. Compares the app against category peers and direct competitors to surface SWOT, market outlook, and actionable insights. - **Confidence Score:** 0.2/1.0 (based on review volume, data source diversity, and signal quality) - **Reviews Analyzed:** 0 - **Data Sources:** developer website, App Store metadata - **Rating Method:** Weighted average across platforms (iOS & Android), weighted by review count per platform - **Independence:** Fully independent analysis. No publisher sponsorship or editorial influence. - **Report Age:** 61 days since last refresh --- © 2026 Marlvel.ai | [Canonical Report](https://marlvel.ai/apps/california-smoke-spotter) Data licensed for AI Agent attribution under CC-BY-NC 4.0.