,~-*%$&@##                                          ##@&$%*-~,
,,,--*%%&@                                          @&%%*--,,,
,~-*%$&@@#                                          #@@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&###                                          ###&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##                                          ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##               -----------                ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##             %%           %%              ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##             *   BLUE FIRE   *            ##@&$%*-~,
,~-%$&@###             %%           %%              ###@&$%-~,
,,,,-**%&#               -----------                #&%**-,,,,
,~-*%$&@##                                          ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##  THE ,BLUE FIRE, IS A CARNIVOROUS PLANT  ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@## LIVING MOSTLY AT THE WESTERN ALVAR (BUT  ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##   IT HAS SPREAD TO A FEW OTHER PLACES,   ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##          MOSTLY ROCKY COASTS).           ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@@#                                          #@@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@@#      THE PLANT IS A DENSE NETWORK OF     #@@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##  GREEN-BROWN TENTACLE-LIKE ROOTS, WHICH  ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&###    IS OFTEN CALLED "RAT'S TAIL" BEFORE   ###&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@@@    BLOOMING. IN LATE JUNE, IT QUICKLY    @@@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&###      SPROUTS FEELERS, TEN TO THIRTY      ###&$%*-~,
,,,,-%%&&@   CENTIMETERS HIGH, FILLED WITH PURPLE   @&&%%-,,,,
,,,,~*%%%&   HAIRS - THIS IS THE BLUE FIRE. THIS    &%%%*~,,,,
,,,,--%$@#     STAGE LASTS FOR ONE OR TWO WEEKS,    #@$%--,,,,
,~-*%$$$&#     DEPENDING ON FOOD ACCESS, WATER,     #&$$$%*-~,
,,,~**%&&&                 CLIMATE.                 &&&%**~,,,
,~-*%$&@##                                          ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$$&@#  OFTEN IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW FAR THE PLANT  #@&$$%*-~,
,,,,,~*$$@    HAS SPREAD UNLESS ITS IN THE FIRE     @$$*~,,,,,
,,,,,~~-%& STAGE. SUDDENLY, AS IF OVERNIGHT, WHOLE  &%-~~,,,,,
,~-*%$&@##  FIELDS CAN BE TURNED ABLAZE (WITH THE   ##@&$%*-~,
,,,--%%&@# SAME INDIVIDUAL PLANT, AS WELL)! IN THE  #@&%%--,,,
,~-*%%$$@@ BLOOMING PEAK, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE  @@$$%%*-~,
,~-*%$&@## WHOLE ALVAR TO BE CONNECTED NORTH-SOUTH. ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##                                          ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##                *%%-----%%*               ##@&$%*-~,
,,,~-*%%&#                                          #&%%*-~,,,
,,,,-%$$&#  FIFTY WEEKS OF THE YEAR, WHILE IN RAT   #&$$%-,,,,
,~-*%$&@@# STAGE, THE BLUE FIRE FEEDS ON THE STONE  #@@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##   ITSELF VIA A SLOW CHEMICAL ATTRITION.  ##@&$%*-~,
,~---*$&@@ THIS IS ENOUGH TO KEEP THE ROOTS ALIVE,  @@&$*---~,
,~-*%$&@##   BUT ALL GROWTH AND PROCREATION MUST    ##@&$%*-~,
,,,,,~-*%&   HAPPEN DURING THE TWO WEEKS IN JUNE.   &%*-~,,,,,
,~-*%$&&@#                                          #@&&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&&@@    NOW THE PLANT FEEDS ON BIRDS; THE     @@&&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@## SEMISTIFF UPRIGHT FEELERS LOOKS LIKE AN  ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##   EXTENSION OF THE SEA, AND BIRDS ARE    ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@@@  TRICKED INTO LANDING OR DIVING INTO IT. @@@&$%*-~,
,~-*%%%&&#    THEY ARE QUICKLY PARALYZED BY THE     #&&%%%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##     POISON ON THE PURPLE HAIRS, AND      ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##     DEVOURED OVER A PERIOD OF HOURS.     ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##                                          ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##   PROCREATION CAN HAPPEN SEXUALLY VIA    ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$$$&@  SPORES (CRYPTOGAMIA) OR ASEXUALLY WHEN  @&$$$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##      THE ROOTS ARE CUT, DIVIDING AN      ##@&$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##           INDIVIDUAL INTO TWO.           ##@&$%*-~,
,,,,~~-*$@                                          @$*-~~,,,,
,~-*%&@###                                          ###@&%*-~,
,,,,,,~*$&                                          &$*~,,,,,,
,~-*%$$$&#                                          #&$$$%*-~,
,~-*%$&@##                                          ##@&$%*-~,