Domesticating fire is another major milestone in the development of the Homo species creating significant advances in our development. The exact date or period when humans first used fire is not known, as it occurred long before recorded history. However, it is generally accepted that humans began using fire between 1.5 and 2 million years ago during the Lower Paleolithic period.
The evidence for early human use of fire includes the presence of charred bones and stone tools found at early human sites, as well as the discovery of hearths and ash deposits in caves and other areas where early humans lived. These findings suggest that early humans were able to control and manipulate fire for cooking, warmth, and light.
Over time, humans developed more sophisticated methods of using fire, such as creating and controlling fires for specific purposes, such as cooking and toolmaking. The ability to control fire was a key factor in human evolution, as it allowed early humans to expand their diet, stay warm, and protect themselves from predators.
The importance of fire cannot be overstated. In the cold climate that existed during those times it provided warmth. There is no way that the Neanderthals would have survived without fire. Besides warmth it provided light at night or in cave systems which were once our early shelters. And fire scared other predators keeping them from preying on us. Another essential part was opening a whole other food source and gave the ability to add more plant foods to the diet making us a better hunter-gather species. There is also the speculation that cooked food was instrumental in shortening our intestines as it did not take a much length to process. This also reduced the amount of required energy thus being able to transfer it to the brain.