Firefighters warn: water bottles left in hot cars can ignite fires
Thank you for choosing Automatic Translation. Currently we are offering translations from English into French and German, with more translation languages to be added in the near future. Please be aware that these translations are generated by a third party AI software service. While we have found that the translations are mostly correct, they may not be perfect in every case. To ensure the information you read is correct, please refer to the original article in English. If you find an error in a translation which you would like to bring to our attention, it would help us greatly if you let us know. We can correct any text or section, once we are aware of it. Please do not hesitate to contact our webmaster to let us know of any translation errors.
Fire departments across the United States are warning drivers that plastic water bottles left inside hot vehicles can act as a fire hazard, potentially igniting car upholstery under intense sunlight.
According to firefighters, clear plastic bottles filled with water can function like a magnifying lens, concentrating sunlight into a focused beam capable of heating surfaces to the point of smouldering.
The warning follows demonstrations by fire‑safety teams showing how a bottle can refract sunlight and create a hotspot on seats or dashboards. While such incidents are rare, officials say the risk increases during extreme heatwaves, when interior vehicle temperatures can exceed 60–70°C (140–160°F) within minutes.
Firefighters advise motorists to remove water bottles, store them out of direct sunlight, or keep them in glove compartments or bags. They also emphasize that the hazard applies to any clear liquid container, not just disposable bottles.
Authorities say the message is part of broader summer fire‑prevention outreach as high temperatures continue across the western United States.
Further Reading:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/that-bottled-water-in-your-car-could-start-a-fire-firefighters-warn/?