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How old are the campfire remains associated with Homo erectus?

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The timeline for when Homo erectus first used fire is a subject of ongoing scientific debate, as evidence of early fire use is often difficult to distinguish from natural occurrences.

While some researchers have suggested that Homo erectus may have controlled fire as early as 1,420,000 years ago based on evidence from sites in Kenya and South Africa, these dates remain contested. Other evidence of burnt material in caves associated with Homo erectus has been identified beginning approximately 1 million years ago.123

Specifically, the site of Zhoukoudian was long cited as providing evidence of fire mastery by Homo erectus dating to 400,000 years ago, based on reported ash and charcoal accumulations. However, more recent research indicates that some of this material may be sediment deposited by water rather than hearth remains. Despite this, the presence of burned animal bones at such sites suggests that Homo erectus may have possessed the ability to roast meat, which would have been a significant development in cooking and food preparation.4