The enormous wood requirements of about 450 000 Rwandan refugees in northwestern Tanzania led to the depletion of the wood resources in the surrounding savannas in an area of about 500 km². The natural regeneration of the woody plants was endangered by frequent fierce late dry-season fires. Since total fire exclusion of the vast area was not feasible, early-burning was prescribed which is less destructive to woody regeneration than the hotter late burns and which prevents the more destructive late dry-season fires. The techniques of controlled burning are explained.