‘Using fire games and play for disaster risk reduction’
SparkleFire aims to explore, design and implement games to increase awareness of wildfire risk, applicable in the four European bioregions. Fires are increasingly burning out of control in countries where they are typically prevalent, while they are also occurring in countries with high population density and, low awareness and preparedness levels. Integrated fire management is imperative, emphasising the entire fire management cycle. This approach shifts the primary focus from fire suppression to prevention of impacts and adaptation, acknowledging the valuable role of fire in the landscape. Within this framework, wildfire education is the crucial key for supporting disaster risk reduction. In a prepared society, people understand the value of fire, recognise the existence and timing of wildfires, understand preventive measures to avoid causing fires, learn methods to reduce the impact of fires on their homes (home ignition zone) and know how to
respond if a wildfire occurs (e.g. evacuate early or shelter in place. (Serious) Games and play represent potent tools for engaging people and increasing awareness, from school children to professional stakeholders. The utilisation of games and play for wildfire education constitutes an emerging field.
SparkleFire is expected to foster community engagement and active participation in understanding and mitigating wildfire risks. Special care will be given to ensuring the game(s) to be inclusive and accessible for vulnerable groups and students with disabilities, as well as providing diverse game approaches to accommodate various learning styles and enhance wildfire risk awareness and education.
