About the game
Educate and Explore with Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke
Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke is an innovative board game that invites players to explore the intricate interactions between prescribed fire smoke, public health, and critical burn decisions. Dive into the complex world of prescribed fire management, where every decision impacts the environment and community health.
In Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke, players take on the role of land managers tasked with making go/no-go burn decisions. Navigate through realistic scenarios influenced by weather conditions, social license, and environmental factors. Balance the benefits of prescribed burns with the potential health impacts on the public and the necessity of reducing wildfire risks.
Key Features
- Real-World Scenarios: Experience the challenges faced by professionals in the field through dynamic game mechanics.
- Strategic Decision Making: Analyze weather patterns, community sentiments, and environmental conditions to make informed burn decisions.
- Educational Gameplay: Learn about the importance of prescribed fire in land management and its effects on air quality and public health.
- Interactive Learning: Engage with friends and family in a thought-provoking game that raises awareness about critical environmental issues.
Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke is more than just a game—it's an educational tool that highlights the delicate balance between fire management, public health, and wildfire risk reduction. Perfect for anyone interested in environmental science, public health, or strategic gameplay. Will you make the right call?
Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke is here!
Order today* and start the conversation on air quality in a fun, interactive way.
*Please allow 3-4 weeks for order processing and shipping.
GAME INTEGRATION
Bring Air Aware to you classroom or next event!
AirAware is a hands-on board game that brings prescribed fire, wildfire risk, and air quality management to life. Designed for flexibility, it’s easy to integrate into professional trainings, workshops, and high school or college classrooms — no full curriculum or lengthy slide deck required.
Common ways educators and facilitators are already integrating AirAware:
- Used as a youth science day activity lab
- Featured as an icebreaker in several prescribed fire, smoke management & public health tabletop hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Used as an activity lab by college professors in Oregon
Why use the game?
- Interactive and memorable — breaks people out of passive learning
- Flexible timing & setup — fits sessions from 40 minutes to multi-day projects
- Builds systems thinking — players explore real-world trade-offs between fuels treatment and clean air
- Simple to facilitate — no technology, internet, or special equipment needed
Trainings & Workshops
Perfect for professional development icebreakers or breakout sessions, AirAware gets participants thinking — and talking.
Teams claim and name their own airsheds, play through the game, and then record their final airshed scores using simple scorecards. Scores are submitted and compared across all teams to launch a guided group discussion.
Typical conversation prompts include:
- Why different airsheds took different approaches
- Trade-offs between fuels treatment and protecting public health
- What “success” looks like when managing smoke risk in the real world
High School & College Classrooms Simple Classroom Integration (No Full Curriculum Needed)
AirAware works as a drop-in activity within existing environmental science, natural resources, forestry, or CTE classes. It reinforces content you’re already teaching — especially units on wildfire ecology, prescribed fire, and air quality — and can be used to introduce or deepen understanding of more complex topics like the Air Quality Index (AQI), smoke movement between airsheds, and risk-based decision making. The activity encourages students to apply what they’ve learned to a real-world scenario, making it ideal for formative assessment, review, or as a bridge between instruction and discussion.
We recommend covering the following concepts prior to gameplay (even briefly):
- Wildfire vs. prescribed fire as forest management tools
- Smoke as air pollution and its impacts on human health
- AQI (Air Quality Index) and how air quality is measured
- The concept of airsheds and smoke movement
After gameplay, students will:
- Understand why land management requires risk-based choices
- Grapple with balancing forest health and public health
- See how timing, weather, and local conditions affect prescribed burning
- Recognize the importance of communication and collaboration among agencies, public health partners, and communities
Optional extensions include comparing game outcomes to local AQI data or past wildfire smoke events, or having students write reflections, policy briefs, or short presentations based on their airshed strategies.
Space & Setup Requirements
- Group Size: 4–6 players per game board (multiple boards can run simultaneously)
- Room Setup: Table or flat surface per team
- Ideal Environments: Classrooms, conference rooms, or breakout areas
Technology Needs: None — the game is fully analog and ready to use as-is
Now Available • Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke
Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke is now available* through The Game Crafter website—order today and be one of the first to play! Stay tuned for exciting updates, including digital versions and curriculum resources.
*Please allow 3-4 weeks for order processing and shipping.
Meet the Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke Team
Margaret Miller • Co-Creator
Ian & Shellaine Anderson • Game Art & Graphic Design
Margaret Miller • Co-Creator
Air Quality Planner and Forester
Too busy to wait for reincarnation, Margaret Miller is a master of many things including: forest management, prescribed burning, policy planning, mushroom hunting, mountain biking, community engagement, and now, board game inventing. Margaret is one of the creative forces behind Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke
Air Quality Planner and Forester
Too busy to wait for reincarnation, Margaret Miller is a master of many things including: forest management, prescribed burning, policy planning, mushroom hunting, mountain biking, community engagement, and now, board game inventing. Margaret is one of the creative forces behind Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke – a resource management game where you balance the heat of prescribed burning and the intricacies of smoke management. With years of experience in natural resource management, a background as a field forester, and a stint as Oregon’s smoke manager, Margaret’s expertise is unmatched. She is an active member and certified forester with the Society of American Foresters. When Margaret isn’t crafting engaging games, she’s rocking her role as the forest landowner education manager at OFRI. Catch her exploring trails on sunny days with her dog, Banjo, or dominating other board games indoors when the weather turns. Ready to test your skills? Dive into "Air Aware" and see if you can handle the smoke!
Jennifer Horton • Co-Creator
Ian & Shellaine Anderson • Game Art & Graphic Design
Margaret Miller • Co-Creator
Air Quality Planner at Oregon DEQ
Jennifer is an air quality professional with a laser focus on smoke management, air quality, and public health. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, Jennifer understands all too well how poor air quality can steal precious time outside. It's never a good day when smoke cuts down on time spent at the river, ridi
Air Quality Planner at Oregon DEQ
Jennifer is an air quality professional with a laser focus on smoke management, air quality, and public health. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, Jennifer understands all too well how poor air quality can steal precious time outside. It's never a good day when smoke cuts down on time spent at the river, riding horses, or playing with her dogs. Driven by a passion for both the environment and education, Jennifer teamed up with Margaret to create the Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke board game. This innovative game combines their deep expertise and environmental commitment, offering an engaging and educational experience that raises awareness about critical air quality issues. Join Jennifer on a journey to make the air we breathe cleaner and healthier, one game at a time.
Ian & Shellaine Anderson • Game Art & Graphic Design
Ian & Shellaine Anderson • Game Art & Graphic Design
Ian & Shellaine Anderson • Game Art & Graphic Design
Illustration and Graphic Design Team
Ian and Shellaine are a husband-and-wife creative duo based in Sacramento, CA, with over 20 years of combined experience in illustration, graphic design, photography, and photo editing. In late 2023, they teamed up with Margaret and Jennifer to bring their first board game, Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke,
Illustration and Graphic Design Team
Ian and Shellaine are a husband-and-wife creative duo based in Sacramento, CA, with over 20 years of combined experience in illustration, graphic design, photography, and photo editing. In late 2023, they teamed up with Margaret and Jennifer to bring their first board game, Air Aware: RX Fire & Smoke, to life.
Ian is a senior photo editor for a leading art photographer, with clients including Rolling Stone, Kenny Scharf, The Broad, and Sotheby’s. Outside of work, he’s often painting landscapes in oil, watercolor, or gouache—or building guitars.
Shellaine is a multi-talented maker and designer whose skills range from graphic design and jewelry making to welding, woodworking, and printmaking. She’s happiest when learning something new—ideally with safety goggles on.