The Duke of Sussex’s first appearance of the year spotlights firefighters and wildfire response as California faces increasingly severe fire seasons.

Prince Harry visits Santa Barbara fire stations with Watch Duty.Credit : Stuart Palley/Watch Duty

Prince Harry marked his first appearance of 2026 with a behind-the-scenes visit focused on wildfire response — a growing priority as fire seasons become longer and more intense.

Earlier this month, the Duke of Sussex visited Santa Barbara–area fire stations alongside Watch Duty co-founder and CEO John Mills, where firefighters walked him through the realities of emergency response, from brush trucks and rescue ATVs to thermal search-and-rescue drones. On the ground, first responders described how Watch Duty’s real-time wildfire mapping and alert app has become indispensable when fast-moving fires leave little room for hesitation or error.

The outing, which took place near his home in Montecito, where he lives with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, was first shared by Watch Duty on social media. “We’re proud to partner with Archewell Philanthropies, early supporters of Watch Duty during the devastating L.A. fires in 2025, and excited to keep building support for firefighters on the front lines,” the organization captioned the images.

PEOPLE has learned that both Harry and Meghan have spent time listening directly to firefighters and first responders about the mental, physical and logistical toll of increasingly severe wildfire seasons, and were particularly struck by how essential reliable, real-time information has become when lives and neighborhoods are at stake.

Prince Harry and Watch Duty co-founder and CEO John Mills.Stuart Palley/Watch Duty

The visit comes weeks after Harry and Meghan announced the Archewell Foundation’s rebrand to Archewell Philanthropies, signaling a more defined focus on grantmaking and partnerships that support frontline workers and strengthen community resilience. The January outing was part of an ongoing effort to better understand how technology, trusted information and local expertise can work together to support those protecting communities during emergencies.

Through Archewell, the Duke and Duchess donated to Watch Duty amid the early days of the California wildfire crisis last year to help fund the organization’s work delivering verified, up-to-date information to firefighters and affected communities. The nonprofit’s model relies on trained volunteers, retired fire professionals and paid staff to vet information, rather than automated systems, a distinction firefighters say can be critical in rapidly evolving situations.

Prince Harry and Watch Duty co-founder and CEO John Mills.Stuart Palley/Watch Duty

The Santa Barbara stop is one of several firefighter-focused visits for Harry in recent months. Ahead of Christmas, Harry spent time with firefighters in Camarillo, California, and visited the Ventura Training Center of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, where he met with formerly incarcerated men and women who now serve as firefighters battling California’s wildfires through CAL FIRE and the California Conservation Corps.

During the height of the 2025 fire season, the Salinas Fire Department shared a photo of Harry with firefighters alongside Cruz and Taffy, therapy dogs who support crews responding to wildfires and other emergencies. The department noted the dogs were actively assisting firefighters during the Los Angeles fires, providing emotional support to both first responders and affected community members.

Prince Harry joins firefighters and emergency service personnel in Santa Barbara.Stuart Palley/Watch Duty

Wildfires have remained top of mind for Meghan and Harry, who live in Montecito, about 90 miles north of Los Angeles. During the January 2025 L.A. fires, the couple distributed food and supplies, met with firefighters and opened their home to friends forced to evacuate.

Months later, Harry paid tribute to first responders at the Living Legends of Aviation ceremony and noting that they “rise to the challenge every single time — yet we rarely get the chance to thank them.”