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