Does the presence of large down wood at the time of a forest fire impact soil recovery

•Soil nutrients were significantly reduced in severely burned red soils.•Nutrient-limited conditions from severe soil heating persist for years after fire.•Fungal and bacterial community compositions varied with burn severity.•Microbial communities seem to have the capacity to quickly adjust to extreme disturbances.•Conditions contributing to nutrient-limited red soils pose concern about soil productivity.