Firefighters warn public on the hazards of leaving water bottles in vehicles

When it’s really hot outside, it can change how people go about their daily lives. Everyone knows that staying in the heat for too long can cause heatstroke, so it’s best to stay out of direct sunlight for extended periods. Also, it’s super important to drink plenty of water and take it easy during the hottest times of the day.

This weather can also significantly increase the risk of fires.

Hot weather, strong gusts of wind, and low moisture levels are perfect for fires to ignite. One way a fire can accidentally start is by leaving water bottles in a car when it’s really hot outside. This happens because the bottles, especially clear ones, can work like magnifying glasses when they get super warm, concentrating sunlight and creating intense beams of light.

When light goes into a clear or see-through bottle, it can get focused and turned into a hot spot. This heat can build up on things that can catch fire, like paper or cloth, and might start a fire in just a few minutes.

Firefighters always tell people not to keep water bottles in their cars for this reason.

In July 2017, while on his lunch break, Dioni Amuchastegui, a battery technician at Idaho Power, saw smoke coming from under the center console of his truck.

At first, I just assumed it was dust since the window was closed and there was no breeze, he told Today. “But then I realized that the light was bending through a water bottle, and it turned out to be smoke.”

Amuchastegui was quick to get rid of the bottle and prevent fire from starting.

He shared his experience with his coworkers at Idaho Power, and they decided to create a video to alert people about the risks of leaving a water bottle in a hot car.

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