Learning Experience
Wildfire Café Game
Talk through a wildfire
A shared wildfire experience in 40 minutes. A group of people must talk through collaborative actions as, together, they imagine evacuating and returning to a damaged neighborhood.
Ignite conversation
Our interactive café game spurs a group of people to imagine that a wildfire is threatening their neighborhood, and consider how they would work together to get the community through safely. Grounded in their real-life circumstances, players experience how the decisions they and their neighbors make before, during and after an actual fire can affect their options and well-being, and how community cooperation can make things better for everyone.
- Played by four to forty people, in “neighborhood” groups of four to eight
- Promotes understanding of key wildfire preparedness and response actions
- Strengthens social connections
- Fosters community mindset, communication and collaboration
- Invites conversation with real-life friends and neighbors about wildfire preparedness
- 30 to 40 minute play time
- One game facilitator
- Available in English
Our interactive café game spurs a group of people to imagine that a wildfire is threatening their neighborhood, and consider how they would work together to get the community through safely. Grounded in their real-life circumstances, players experience how the decisions they and their neighbors make before, during and after an actual fire can affect their options and well-being, and how community cooperation can make things better for everyone.
- Played by four to forty people, in “neighborhood” groups of four to eight
- Promotes understanding of key wildfire preparedness and response actions
- Strengthens social connections
- Fosters community mindset, communication and collaboration
- Invites conversation with real-life friends and neighbors about wildfire preparedness
- 30 to 40 minute play time
- One game facilitator
- Available in English
“This was a real wake-up call! I kept thinking, ‘What if …? What if …?’”
— Dan Dempsey, Café Game player
An entire wildfire in 40 minutes
1
Who are we?
To start the game, players quickly assess their own households to determine who they are concerned about, and what their current state of readiness is.
1
Who are we?
To start the game, players quickly assess their own households to determine who they are concerned about, and what their current state of readiness is.
2
Ready and … go!
As the urgency of the situation increases, players must individually decide what actions they will take before evacuating, when to evacuate, and how “neighbors” might help each other.
2
Ready and … go!
As the urgency of the situation increases, players must individually decide what actions they will take before evacuating, when to evacuate, and how “neighbors” might help each other.
3
Coming home …
As they return home, each household in the “neighborhood” discovers different challenges and different resources, determined by their real-life preparations, in-game actions, and a bit of luck.
3
Coming home …
As they return home, each household in the “neighborhood” discovers different challenges and different resources, determined by their real-life preparations, in-game actions, and a bit of luck.
4
Staying home!
To win, the “neighborhood” must work together to ensure that every household has what they need to restart their lives.
4
Staying home!
To win, the “neighborhood” must work together to ensure that every household has what they need to restart their lives.
“It was clever that the more prepared people were in real life, the smoother their gameplay was.
— Abigail Flores, Café Game player
Inspire
Players imagine a wildfire together. But they must make decisions in the very real context of their personal circumstances, and must collaborate with their “neighbors” to succeed. This helps them to strengthen real social connections, recognize the importance of their local community connections, and inspires them to talk with friends and neighbors about preparedness and mutual support in an actual event.
Educate
In addition to key elements of wildfire preparedness and best practices, the game is designed to increase social resilience. Players experience the power and importance of sharing information and physical resources, and strengthen their communication and collaboration skills. They have an opportunity to validate what they know, discover gaps and share knowledge with peers, and discuss questions with experts.
Educate
In addition to key elements of wildfire preparedness and best practices, the game is designed to increase social resilience. Players experience the power and importance of sharing information and physical resources, and strengthen their communication and collaboration skills. They have an opportunity to validate what they know, discover gaps and share knowledge with peers, and discuss questions with experts.
Empower
The game presents players with individual and shared challenges, and then gives them the freedom to choose their actions. As events unfold, they see how their and others’ decisions affect their own safety and comfort, and experience the power of community. By the end of the game, players have sketched out their own evacuation and recovery plans, as well as a vision of how they can work with their real-life neighbors.
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“Giving people the opportunity to tell others about their knowledge of prep or the stuff they have is important. Doing so in a relaxed, game set up is intriguing and fun.”
— Skip Jirrels, Sebastopol Public Safety Outreach Coordinator