Tropical savannas, covering 20% of the Earth and comprising trees and C4 grasses, are the world’s most fire-prone biome, fueling fires across Africa, Asia, South America, and Australia. Across their range of occurrence, savannas are inherently variable in their physical and structural limits, and fire has a major role in shaping their natural heterogeneity. Historically, policies of fire suppression and the disruption of traditional fire management practices have impacted these ecosystems, affecting biodiversity and human livelihoods. Furthermore, changes in climate and land use during the twentieth century have already altered savanna ecology. With projections indicating increased fire weather and extended fire seasons, the urgency to address the implications of these changes has never been greater. This symposium aims to foster an interdisciplinary perspective to explore the dynamics of fire ecology in tropical savannas, with a particular interest in drawing parallels and contrasts between African savannas and the Brazilian Cerrado. This rich exchange of knowledge and experiences will help us understand the ecological changes, social aspects, and policy implications of fire management in these regions. We hope to explore:

1.Understanding fire dynamics: Delve into the role of fire as a major driver of savanna structure and biodiversity, and how changes in fire frequency, season, and intensity impact these ecosystems and their responsive plant traits to carbon dynamics.

2.Assessing human and policy implications: Examine the consequences of historical fire suppression policies and the need for integrating traditional fire management practices. This includes understanding the socio-economic impacts on communities reliant on savanna ecosystems.

3.Exploring climate and land use interactions: Investigate the feedback loops between land cover, climate change, and fire regimes, and their implications for future savanna conservation and management strategies. Too much or too little fire has the potential to alter species composition and structure of tropical grassy savannas with consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services and livelihoods.

4.Promoting interdisciplinary dialogue to identify key gaps in fire ecology: Foster a platform for discussion and exchange on the multifaceted challenges of managing fire in savannas.

We aim to collaboratively produce a commentary piece to highlight the key questions and insights emerging from the symposium, and outline actionable strategies for balancing conservation efforts with the needs of human communities. We aim to contribute to the global discourse on climate dynamics, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable ecosystem management in one of the world's most fire-prone and threatened biomes, the savannas on two Continents.