As the summer heat intensifies, firefighters across the country are issuing an urgent warning about the seemingly innocuous practice of leaving water bottles in cars. This overlooked habit can lead to unexpected and potentially dangerous consequences, prompting fire safety officials to raise awareness about the risks involved.

The Science Behind the Danger
The danger arises from the basic principles of physics. When sunlight passes through a water-filled plastic bottle, it acts like a magnifying glass, focusing the light onto a single point. If this point is directed onto a flammable surface, such as the fabric of a car seat, it can ignite a fire. Firefighters have demonstrated how quickly and easily this can happen, even in a matter of minutes under direct sunlight.