A study reveals that Indigenous fire management in Australia's tropical savannahs began at least 11,000 years ago, marking a shift from natural to human-modulated fire regimes. By analyzing micro-charcoal and stable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (SPAC) accumulation rates in a 150,000-year sediment record from Girraween Lagoon, researchers found that fire frequency increased and intensity decreased around 11,000 years ago. This change indicates that Indigenous societies had been actively managing fire to control fuel loads and maintain biodiversity. The study shows that human fire use has significantly influenced fire regimes throughout the Holocene, and that Indigenous land management practices could help mitigate future wildfire impacts. The research highlights the long-term effects of Indigenous fire management on savannah ecosystems, including changes in vegetation structure, fuel characteristics, and biodiversity. The findings suggest that the reintroduction of Indigenous fire practices could help restore ecological balance and enhance carbon sequestration in tropical savannahs. The study also underscores the importance of understanding the role of human activity in shaping fire regimes and ecosystem dynamics, particularly in the context of climate change and increasing wildfire risks.A study reveals that Indigenous fire management in Australia's tropical savannahs began at least 11,000 years ago, marking a shift from natural to human-modulated fire regimes. By analyzing micro-charcoal and stable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (SPAC) accumulation rates in a 150,000-year sediment record from Girraween Lagoon, researchers found that fire frequency increased and intensity decreased around 11,000 years ago. This change indicates that Indigenous societies had been actively managing fire to control fuel loads and maintain biodiversity. The study shows that human fire use has significantly influenced fire regimes throughout the Holocene, and that Indigenous land management practices could help mitigate future wildfire impacts. The research highlights the long-term effects of Indigenous fire management on savannah ecosystems, including changes in vegetation structure, fuel characteristics, and biodiversity. The findings suggest that the reintroduction of Indigenous fire practices could help restore ecological balance and enhance carbon sequestration in tropical savannahs. The study also underscores the importance of understanding the role of human activity in shaping fire regimes and ecosystem dynamics, particularly in the context of climate change and increasing wildfire risks.