Learning Experiences
Playing to prepare
Our engaging learning experiences transform disaster preparedness into a fun and accessible journey. Each experience creates a safe space where participants can explore, practice, and build confidence in their ability to cope.
Playing with wildfire
We offer three interactive learning experiences that spark curiosity about wildfire preparedness and inspire concrete actions. As players navigate an (imaginary) wildfire, they discover their own priorities, see the consequences of their decisions, and realize the logic behind recommended preparedness actions.
All wildfire learning experiences help participants assess the state of preparedness of their household, understand wildfire risks and key early actions, anticipate return challenges, identify a specific preparedness action they want to take, and experience the unpredictability of wildfire behavior. Longer games incorporate additional learning objectives, many aimed at fostering social resilience.
LEARN MORE about our plans for other hazards →
We offer three interactive learning experiences that spark curiosity about wildfire preparedness and inspire concrete actions. As players navigate an (imaginary) wildfire, they discover their own priorities, see the consequences of their decisions, and realize the logic behind recommended preparedness actions.
All wildfire learning experiences help participants assess the state of preparedness of their household, understand wildfire risks and key early actions, anticipate return challenges, identify a specific preparedness action they want to take, and experience the unpredictability of wildfire behavior. Longer games incorporate additional learning objectives, many aimed at fostering social resilience.
LEARN MORE about our plans for other hazards →
Board Game
The Wildfire Board Game is a quick and fun activity that invites members of a single household to THINK through the challenges they might face in a real wildfire experience, and discover what they would need. It is intended to be presented at fairs, festivals, markets and similar community events.
Game features
- For 1 to 6 players
- 15 minute play time
- 1 game facilitator
- Also offered in Spanish
Café Game
The Wildfire Café Game is a collaborative game in which small groups of “neighbors” TALK through how they can work together to ensure that everyone in the “neighborhood” gets through the wildfire together. It is intended for group meeting or workshop settings.
Game features
- For 4 to 40 players
- 40 minute play time
- 1 game facilitator
- Also offered in Spanish
Live-Action Adventure
The Wildfire Live-Action Adventure is our most in-depth learning experience. Real-life neighbors DO as many of the actions as they can as they roleplay through the wildfire scenario. Comprising three modules, it can be played in one or a series of neighborhood workshops.
Game features
- For 4+ neighboring families
- 3 one-hour modules
- 1+ game facilitators
Working through a real life event made this so much more real than a powerpoint timeline.
— Heather Logrone, Attendee, After the Fire Leadership Summit
Playing with other hazards
Our vision is to prepare communities to be resilient in the face of a wide range of crises, including wildfires. While we currently focus on wildfire, many of the skills and mindsets we address are transferable to other hazards, for instance, being proactive, flexible, and collaborative, and understanding the importance of information and communication.
As we expand our focus to other hazards, we will adapt only the learning objectives related to hazard-specific risks, such as smoke and ember danger in wildfires, structural failure in earthquakes, and extreme winds and storm surge in hurricanes.
The other challenge we have set ourselves is to make learning experiences tailorable to meet the needs of different communities and individuals!
Our vision is to prepare communities to be resilient in the face of a wide range of crises, including wildfires. While we currently focus on wildfire preparedness, many of the core skills and mindsets we address are transferable to other hazards, such as understanding the importance of information and communication, and being proactive, flexible, and collaborative.
As we expand our focus to other hazards, we will adapt only the learning objectives related to hazard-specific risks, such as smoke and ember danger in wildfires, structural failure in earthquakes, and extreme winds and storm surge in hurricanes.
The other challenge we have set ourselves is to make learning experiences tailorable to meet the needs of different communities and individuals!
The game format makes learning a more integrated experience. Perhaps, too, it helps folks to deal with the trauma some have experienced as a result of disaster.
— Participant, Wildfire Board Game, Sebastopol CA
Bonus: Brain teasers!
Not all learning experiences have to be big. To get people engaged and curious about disaster preparedness, we have created a series of small brain teasers that impart tidbits of knowledge. These are available for you to use to enliven your community communications.
The series is growing, please send us your ideas — we can work out the details.
Not all learning experiences have to be big. To get people engaged and curious about disaster preparedness, we have created a series of small brain teasers that impart tidbits of knowledge. These are available for you to use to enliven your community communications.
The series is growing, please send us your ideas — we can work out the details.
From our blog
Playing games in Napa
This week, we got to play games with seniors in Napa!
Not swimming at the library!
We were at a preparedness event at the St Helena Public Library yesterday. Here’s a short video …
Wildfire game success!
With great success (but little fanfare), we unveiled our new wildfire game last week. Thanks to Napa Valley Grapegrowers, we play-tested …
From our blog
Playing games in Napa
This week, we got to play games with seniors in Napa!
Not swimming at the library!
We were at a preparedness event at the St Helena Public Library yesterday. Here’s a short video …
Wildfire game success!
With great success (but little fanfare), we unveiled our new wildfire game last week. Thanks to Napa Valley Grapegrowers, we play-tested …
With challenge tiles setting up both the likely actions a family might take, along with likely outcomes with a degree of chance built in make it a fun interactive experience for all ages.
— Roberta MacIntyre, Fire Safe Sonoma, former Sonoma County Fire Marshal