How to teach about forest fires effectively: insights from teachers about education for sustainable development

Background Forest fires represent a growing environmental and civil safety challenge across Europe and neighboring regions, with human activity responsible for the vast majority of ignitions. Despite increasing wildfire risks, previous studies indicate that children often lack sufficient knowledge about wildfire prevention, while educational approaches frequently struggle to translate awareness into behavioral change. This study investigates how teachers and sustainability experts perceive effective methodologies for teaching forest fire prevention within the framework of Education for Sustainable Development. Methods Using a qualitative focus group design structured through the Mobilization and Mutual Learning approach, the research collected insights from 14 participants representing educators and sustainability experts from several European countries and Turkey. The 75-minute session was transcribed and analyzed using a hybrid inductive–deductive thematic analysis, identifying three primary domains: implementation barriers, methodological suitability, and actionable strategies. Results Findings reveal that effective wildfire education depends on the interaction between emotional, institutional, and pedagogical factors. Key barriers include eco-anxiety among students, rigid national curricula, and limited experiential contact with natural environments. Participants identified several promising methodologies, including Communication for Development, bio-empathy and narrative-based learning, experiential learning inspired by Deweyan pedagogy, and project-based learning. These approaches were considered effective in bridging the gap between environmental knowledge and behavioral change. Conclusions The study proposes a framework linking implementation barriers with participatory teaching strategies capable of fostering long-term sustainability competencies and responsible environmental behavior among young learners. Ultimately, addressing psychological barriers through experiential frameworks transforms students into a vital resource for building more resilient communities.