In August 2025, as wildfires raged across northern California, one blaze stood apart—not because of its size, but because of its strange behavior. Firefighters from four counties had gathered near Lassen Volcanic National Park to control a rapidly spreading inferno dubbed “Camp Shadow.” But the fire didn’t follow the usual patterns. It moved with intent, sparing certain areas and encircling others, as if guided by unseen hands.Captain Marisol Vega, a seasoned incident commander with twenty years of wildfire experience, noticed it first.“This isn’t wind,” she muttered, staring at the data on her satellite feed. “This thing’s thinking.”Every attempt to control