§$%\=~.... ....~=\%$§
@§$%\=~... ...~=\%$§@
#@§$%\=~.. ..~=\%$§@#
##@§$%\=~. .~=\%$§@##
#@§$%\=~.. ..~=\%$§@#
@§$%\=~... =========== ...~=\%$§@
§$%\=~.... %% %% ....~=\%$§
$%\=~..... \ BLUE FIRE \ .....~=\%$
%\=~...... %% %% ......~=\%
\=~....... =========== .......~=\
=~........ ........~=
~......... 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 ......~=\%
$%\=~..... TRICKED INTO LANDING OR DIVING INTO IT. .....~=\%$
§$%\=~.... THEY ARE QUICKLY PARALYZED BY THE ....~=\%$§
@§$%\=~... POISON ON THE PURPLE HAIRS, AND ...~=\%$§@
#@§$%\=~.. DEVOURED OVER A PERIOD OF HOURS. ..~=\%$§@#
##@§$%\=~. .~=\%$§@##
#@§$%\=~.. PROCREATION CAN HAPPEN SEXUALLY VIA ..~=\%$§@#
@§$%\=~... SPORES (CRYPTOGAMIA) OR ASEXUALLY WHEN ...~=\%$§@
§$%\=~.... THE ROOTS ARE CUT, DIVIDING AN ....~=\%$§
$%\=~..... INDIVIDUAL INTO TWO. .....~=\%$
%\=~...... ......~=\%
\=~....... .......~=\
=~........ ........~=
~......... .........~
=~........ ........~=