....,«*%§§                                          §§%*«,....
...,«*%§§@                                          @§§%*«,...
..,«*%§§@#                                          #@§§%*«,..
.,«*%§§@##                                          ##@§§%*«,.
..,«*%§§@#                                          #@§§%*«,..
...,«*%§§@               «««««««««««                @§§%*«,...
....,«*%§§              %%           %%             §§%*«,....
.....,«*%§             *   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.           §%*«,.....
....,«*%§§                                          §§%*«,....
...,«*%§§@                                          @§§%*«,...
..,«*%§§@#                                          #@§§%*«,..
.,«*%§§@##                                          ##@§§%*«,.
..,«*%§§@#                                          #@§§%*«,..