An investigation of postfire ecological effects on a Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris)/lichen (Cladonia) /feather moss (Pleurozeum schreberi) site was completed within the joint Russian-American FIRE BEAR research project. Results, on an illuvial-ferroginous sandy podzols site, show that wildfires introduce the biggest disturbance to the forest floor by changing its fractional soil composition, and physical and chemical properties. Observations show that temperatures increase and moisture contents decrease for the soil rooting layer during the first two years following fire. Fire impacts on physical and chemical properties of the mineral sandy podzol horizons were not well defined. Fire reduces the number and diversity of sandy podzol invertebrates by a factor of 1.5-2 times. Drastic ecological postfire changes (i.e., consumption of the living ground cover and forest floor by fire) causes increased site insolation which leads to moisture deficits. As a result, small Oribatida increase that are resistant to dry conditions and can migrate actively. As for Collembola, the forms inhabiting the forest floor are eliminated, while the proportion of the forest floor/soil forms increase after fire. Few prefire saprophage species (Enchytraeidae, Diptera) are eliminated by fire, while the Aranei complex survives and the diversity of phytophage forms decreases. In the course of time, it is expected that postfire ecological situation will change to result in deeper transformation of soil properties and, hence, in the pedocomplex.