Fungi That Eat Charcoal: How Fire-Loving Species Thrive & Evolve

New research sheds light on the genetic mechanisms that allow certain fungi to flourish in post-fire environments.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:55pm

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Wildfires leave behind devastated landscapes, but a surprising group of organisms not only survives but thrives: fungi. New research from the University of California, Riverside, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals the genetic strategies that allow 'pyrophilous' (fire-loving) fungi to consume charred remains and rapidly colonize burned areas.

Why it matters

As wildfires continue to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change, the role of these resilient fungi will become increasingly important in shaping the future of burned landscapes. The findings also suggest potential applications in environmental remediation, as the fungi's ability to break down charcoal, which shares chemical similarities with many pollutants, could lead to innovative solutions for cleaning up oil spills, mining waste, and other forms of industrial contamination.

The details

The UCR research team spent five years collecting 18 fungal species from seven different wildfire burn sites across California, sequencing their genomes and analyzing how they adapted to the unique food source of charcoal. They identified three primary evolutionary strategies employed by these fire-loving fungi: gene duplication to increase enzyme production for digesting charcoal, sexual reproduction to enable rapid genetic recombination and adaptation, and the rare occurrence of horizontal gene transfer from bacteria to acquire crucial charcoal-breakdown genes.

  • The research was conducted over a five-year period.
  • The findings were published on January 29, 2026.

The players

Sydney Glassman

Associate professor of microbiology and plant pathology at the University of California, Riverside, and the lead researcher on this study.

Coniochaeta hoffmannii

A fungus that appears to have acquired crucial genes from bacteria, a rare occurrence of horizontal gene transfer between different kingdoms of life.

Pyronema

A fungus that doesn't possess extensive genetic machinery for charcoal breakdown, but instead capitalizes on the reduced competition to quickly form small, orange cup-shaped mushrooms in the immediate aftermath of a fire.

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What they’re saying

“This kind of gene sharing across kingdoms is incredibly rare, but it gives this fungus the genes it needs to break down burn scars.”

— Sydney Glassman, Associate professor of microbiology and plant pathology

“There are a lot of ways these genes can be harnessed to clean up oil spills or break down ores or help restore burned landscapes. It's a very new area with potentially a lot of beneficial applications.”

— Sydney Glassman, Associate professor of microbiology and plant pathology

What’s next

Researchers believe that a deeper understanding of fungal digestion processes could lead to innovative solutions for cleaning up oil spills, mining waste, and other forms of industrial contamination.

The takeaway

This research represents a significant step forward in understanding the complex interplay between fire, fungi, and ecosystem recovery, highlighting the crucial role of these resilient organisms in shaping the future of burned landscapes as wildfires continue to increase in frequency and intensity.