,,,,,^~†$&                                          &$†~^,,,,,
,,,,^~†$&@                                          @&$†~^,,,,
,,,^~†$&@#                                          #@&$†~^,,,
,,^~†$&@##                                          ##@&$†~^,,
,^~†$&@###                                          ###@&$†~^,
,,^~†$&@##               ~~~~~~~~~~~                ##@&$†~^,,
,,,^~†$&@#              $$           $$             #@&$†~^,,,
,,,,^~†$&@            †   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.           ##@&$†~^,,
,,,^~†$&@#                                          #@&$†~^,,,
,,,,^~†$&@                                          @&$†~^,,,,
,,,,,^~†$&                                          &$†~^,,,,,
,,,,,,^~†$                                          $†~^,,,,,,
,,,,,^~†$&                                          &$†~^,,,,,