.##..####.                                          ..###.#.#.
#.#.#.###.                                          .#.##.#.#.
#.#.#..##.                                          .#..#.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.##.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#..#.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.               «««««««««««                .#.##.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.             ^^           ^^              .#..#.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.             :   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.           .#.##.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#..#.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.##.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#..#.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#.##.#.#.
#.#.#.#.#.                                          .#..#.#.#.