Wildfire is an archetypal disturbance regime that perturbs soil microbial communities, and alters the chemical landscape of the local environment. As such, microbes face numerous challenges in burned soils, such as resource scarcity, poor nutrient solubility, and increased hydrophobicity. While preliminary research suggests that microbes lie at the forefront of post-fire ecosystem recovery, the specific strategies that microbes use to thrive in a burned environment remain largely unknown. Mira’s research seeks to identify specific specialized metabolite-based strategies that bacteria might employ in adapting to the harsh conditions created by fire. The elucidation of these strategies not only afford a molecular understanding of post-fire microbial adaptations, but also may inform efforts aiding ecosystem recovery post-fire.