Wildfires raged over nine states for the first half of September. Here's what will rise from the ashes.

In the past month, more than 100 large fires have burned 7.8 million acres, according to the National Parks Service. But these fires don’t destroy everything in sight. “Many of the plants may look devastated, but below ground they have survived and they’ll sprout right back,” says Andrew Larson, a professor of forest ecology at the University of Montana. Not only can many species survive the fire—others need wildfires to fulfill their biological destinies. Onlookers will find these four species flourishing in the affected areas next spring.

Fire is a natural part of many ecosystems out west, though scientists disagree about how much fire is necessary to keep things healthy. “It’s important to recognize there’s a lot of negative consequences for humans," Larson says, "But many of the plants, animals, and fungi need burned environment."

Related: See a frightning scene out of Oregon's Eagle Creek fire: