Little research has focused specifically on fire in Fiji's leeward grass-covered hills and mountains. In this paper, I review what is known about Fiji's grassland fires, what we can surmise from comparison with Madagascar (another frequently burnt tropical island landscape) and what questions deserve further research. Grassy biomes and fire were more common than previously thought in prehuman seasonally dry landscapes; Madagascar and Fiji are no exception. People burn in both places for diverse livelihood reasons, but in particular for pasture management and cropfield preparation. Fires, however, do escape control and damage property, and are also blamed for effects on health, climate and biodiversity. Government regulation of fire is difficult to enforce and often ignored. Given the danger of fuel build-up and the cost of other land management options, continued traditional burning is a realistic future outlook.