Brazilian environmental officials have followed a zero-fire strategy for land management in the Cerrado savanna in central and northern Brazil. But that approach has proved to be flawed. The Xerente people in northern Tocantins state have mastered controlled burning to manage the land. There had been decades of prejudice against Indigenous practices. But their expertise is being incorporated into Brazil’s public policy as authorities combine scientific research with traditional knowledge. The approach has proved useful in slowing wildfires. The blazes have become more frequent during prolonged droughts and rising temperatures linked to global warming.