,,~†§@¤###                                          ###¤@§†~,,
,,,~†§@¤##                                          ##¤@§†~,,,
,,~†§@¤###                                          ###¤@§†~,,
,,,~†§@¤##                                          ##¤@§†~,,,
,,~†§@¤###                                          ###¤@§†~,,
,,,~†§@¤##                ~~~~~~~~~~~               ##¤@§†~,,,
,,~†§@¤###             §§           §§              ###¤@§†~,,
,,,~†§@¤##             †   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.           ##¤@§†~,,,
,,~†§@¤###                                          ###¤@§†~,,
,,,~†§@¤##                                          ##¤@§†~,,,
,,~†§@¤###                                          ###¤@§†~,,
,,,~†§@¤##                                          ##¤@§†~,,,
,,~†§@¤###                                          ###¤@§†~,,