plastic water bottle left in direct sunlight inside a vehicle can become a fire hazard. It may not look dangerous, but it can function like a magnifying glass, focusing sunlight into a beam hot enough to ignite flammable materials such as fabric or paper.

It might seem harmless to keep a plastic water bottle in your car—after all, staying hydrated is important. But firefighters across the country are warning against this common habit, especially during sunny weather. The reason? Under the right conditions, that bottle could start a fire.

A plastic water bottle left in direct sunlight inside a vehicle can become a fire hazard. It may not look dangerous, but it can function like a magnifying glass, focusing sunlight into a beam hot enough to ignite flammable materials such as fabric or paper.