....,~$%%@ @%%$~,....
..,,=$%&@# #@&%$=,,..
....~$$$%@ @%$$$~....
.,~=$%&@## ##@&%$=~,.
.,~=$%&@## ##@&%$=~,.
.,~=$%&@## ~~~~~~~~~~~ ##@&%$=~,.
.,~=$&@### $$ $$ ###@&$=~,.
....,==%&@ = BLUE FIRE = @&%==,....
.,~=$%&@## $$ $$ ##@&%$=~,.
.,~=$%## ~~~~~~~~~~~ ###&%$=~,.
.,~=$%&&@# #@&&%$=~,.
.,~=$%&@## 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 @@&$~,....
.,,~=$$&@# DEVOURED OVER A PERIOD OF HOURS. #@&$$=~,,.
..,,=$%&@# #@&%$=,,..
.,~=$%@### PROCREATION CAN HAPPEN SEXUALLY VIA ###@%$=~,.
.....,=$%& SPORES (CRYPTOGAMIA) OR ASEXUALLY WHEN &%$=,.....
.,~=$%&@## THE ROOTS ARE CUT, DIVIDING AN ##@&%$=~,.
.,~=$%&@## INDIVIDUAL INTO TWO. ##@&%$=~,.
....~$%%@# #@%%$~....
..,,===$%@ @%$===,,..
.,~=$%&@## ##@&%$=~,.
..,,~=$$ #&$$=~,,..
.,~=$%&@## ##@&%$=~,.