.~=†$%&¶##                                          ##¶&%$†=~.
.~=†$%&¶@#                                          #@¶&%$†=~.
.~=†$%&¶@@                                          @@¶&%$†=~.
....=†%%¶@                                          @¶%%†=....
.~=†$%&¶@#                                          #@¶&%$†=~.
.~=†$%&¶@#                ===========               #@¶&%$†=~.
.~=†$%&¶@@             $$           $$              @@¶&%$†=~.
.~=†$%&¶@#            †   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  ¶%†~......
.~=†$%&¶##      THE ROOTS ARE CUT, DIVIDING AN      ##¶&%$†=~.
.~=†$%%&&&           INDIVIDUAL INTO TWO.           &&&%%$†=~.
.~=†$%&¶@@                                          @@¶&%$†=~.
.~=†$%&¶##                                          ##¶&%$†=~.
...~~===$&                                          &$===~~...
.~=†$%%&&¶                                          ¶&&%%$†=~.
...~~†%&¶@                                          @¶&%†~~...