Final answer:
Human ancestors such as Homo erectus were using fire around 1.7 to 2.0 million years ago, while Homo sapiens exhibited control over fire by at least about 125,000 years ago. Homo heidelbergensis controlled fire as early as 780,000 years ago, and Neanderthals had knowledge of fire before they vanished around 40,000 years ago.
Step-by-step explanation:
The harnessing of fire by human ancestors is a significant milestone in our evolutionary history. There is evidence suggesting that Homo erectus was using fire as far back as 1.7 to 2.0 million years ago, with signs of ancient hearths and charred animal bones found at sites such as Zhoukoudian, China. However, whether Homo erectus could start fires or just utilized natural ones is still debated.
Later on, by at least about 125,000 years ago, anatomically modern humans, or Homo sapiens, had harnessed the ability to create and control fire. This period marked a transformative era during which Homo sapiens developed advanced tools, used animal skins for clothing, and through the use of fire, cooked meat that would have been indigestible in its raw form.
Homo heidelbergensis, another ancestor of modern humans, has evidence of controlled fire use, with the oldest continuous fire site being dated around 780,000 years ago in Israel. As for the Neanderthals, they were also adept tool users and likely had knowledge of fire before their disappearance around 40,000 years ago.