16-year-old builds free wildfire warning checker, teaches California seniors to use it after brush fire

Vedant Thakker was 16 years old when a brush fire in the hills above his Fremont neighborhood made wildfire risk feel personal. The California high school student later built Red Flag Check, a free website and app that lets people enter an address and see whether they are inside a National Weather Service red flag warning zone, downwind of one, adjacent to one, or outside the current warning area.

He is now teaching seniors at Fremont’s Age Well Center how to use the tool, according to NBC Bay Area and the Oakland Firesafe Council.The project began with a simple frustration. Red flag warnings often cover large geographic areas, leaving residents unsure whether their own home is actually at risk.

Vedant wanted a clearer answer, especially for older adults who may be more vulnerable during fast-moving wildfires.A nearby fire changed his focusLike many teenagers, Vedant had not paid much attention to the news before the brush fire broke out near his Fremont neighborhood. Seeing flames close to home changed that immediately.