Fires may have long-term consequences for California's landscape

The wind-driven infernos that are scarring vast swaths of Southern California's landscape may leave more than just a temporary path of destruction when they are finally extinguished.

Because they have struck some regions still trying to recover from recent burns, the wildfires could leave a legacy of environmental devastation that will be evident for years to come. Some of it may never be reversed.

Scientists say the changes could be profound, especially in areas that have been scorched multiple times in recent years.