Fire-loving fungi are nature's first responders after wildfire, readying the soil for rebirth

Muzammil Hussain June 18, 2026

A hand can be seen holding up a piece of deadwood covered in peachy mushrooms.

Within weeks of a wildfire, an orange crust coats deadwood and the charred forest floor, creating an otherworldly landscape that still seems to be smoking. But instead of continued destruction, it’s a signal of rebirth: tiny fungi are colonizing the wreckage.

Within weeks of a wildfire, an orange crust coats deadwood and the charred forest floor, creating an otherworldly landscape that still seems to be smoking. But instead of continued destruction, it’s a signal of rebirth: tiny fungi are colonizing the wreckage. A hand can be seen holding up a piece of deadwood covered in peachy mushrooms.

Within weeks of a wildfire, an orange crust coats deadwood and the charred forest floor, creating an otherworldly landscape that still seems to be smoking. But instead of continued destruction, it’s a signal of rebirth: tiny fungi are colonizing the wreckage.