Among the key issues in smoke management is predicting the magnitude and location of smoke effects. These vary in severity from hazardous (acute health conditions and drastic visibility impairment to transportation) to nuisance (regional haze), and occur across a range of scales (local to continental). Over the years a variety of tools have been developed to aid in predicting smoke effects. This review follows the development of these tools, from various indices and simple screening models to complex air quality modelling systems, with a focus on how each tool represents key processes involved in smoke transport.