Charcoal analysis of lake sediments is used to reconstruct long-term fire history, complementing dendrochronological and historical records. This method has gained attention in paleoecology due to the increasing interest in fire as an ecosystem process and the need for forest managers to understand prehistoric fire regimes. The chapter discusses site selection, chronology, and methodology in charcoal analysis, based on recent advances. It also reviews the theoretical and empirical basis for charcoal analysis, including assumptions about charcoal sources and transport processes. Fire reconstructions from lake-sediment records come from three main sources: particulate charcoal indicating burning, pollen showing vegetation changes, and lithologic evidence of watershed adjustments. Charcoal analysis quantifies the accumulation of charred particles in sediments during and after fires. Stratigraphic levels with abundant charcoal are inferred to be evidence of past fires. Pollen analysis detects past fires by showing changes in plant communities after fires. Lithologic analyses supplement charcoal data by detecting changes in sediment input and soil mineral alteration. The lithologic record helps determine fire location and intensity. Charcoal is produced when organic matter is incompletely combusted. Accumulation depends on fire characteristics and transport processes. Primary charcoal is introduced during or shortly after fires, while secondary charcoal comes from non-fire years via runoff and sediment mixing. Fire size, intensity, and severity affect charcoal production and transport, though little is known about these relationships. Charcoal can be carried long distances, so sources may be regional, extralocal, or local. Models suggest that larger particles are deposited near fires, while smaller particles travel farther. Studies confirm these models, showing decreased charcoal abundance away from fire sources. Charcoal particles >125 micrometers are abundant near fires, while smaller particles are more widely distributed.Charcoal analysis of lake sediments is used to reconstruct long-term fire history, complementing dendrochronological and historical records. This method has gained attention in paleoecology due to the increasing interest in fire as an ecosystem process and the need for forest managers to understand prehistoric fire regimes. The chapter discusses site selection, chronology, and methodology in charcoal analysis, based on recent advances. It also reviews the theoretical and empirical basis for charcoal analysis, including assumptions about charcoal sources and transport processes. Fire reconstructions from lake-sediment records come from three main sources: particulate charcoal indicating burning, pollen showing vegetation changes, and lithologic evidence of watershed adjustments. Charcoal analysis quantifies the accumulation of charred particles in sediments during and after fires. Stratigraphic levels with abundant charcoal are inferred to be evidence of past fires. Pollen analysis detects past fires by showing changes in plant communities after fires. Lithologic analyses supplement charcoal data by detecting changes in sediment input and soil mineral alteration. The lithologic record helps determine fire location and intensity. Charcoal is produced when organic matter is incompletely combusted. Accumulation depends on fire characteristics and transport processes. Primary charcoal is introduced during or shortly after fires, while secondary charcoal comes from non-fire years via runoff and sediment mixing. Fire size, intensity, and severity affect charcoal production and transport, though little is known about these relationships. Charcoal can be carried long distances, so sources may be regional, extralocal, or local. Models suggest that larger particles are deposited near fires, while smaller particles travel farther. Studies confirm these models, showing decreased charcoal abundance away from fire sources. Charcoal particles >125 micrometers are abundant near fires, while smaller particles are more widely distributed.