Many of us tote around water bottles to cope with the Tri-State's summer heat and humidity, but Idaho Power is warning our hydrating measures can backfire when left in a hot car.
Video posted online by the power company shows how an unattended water bottle can potentially start a fire in your car on a hot day after it nearly happened to one of their station battery technicians, Dioni Amuchastegui.
"I was taking an early lunch and sitting in my truck," Amuchastegui said. "Happened to notice some smoke out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and noticed that light was being refracted through a water bottle and was starting to catch the seat on fire."
If you ever experimented with a magnifying glass and sheet of paper on a sunny day as a kid, it's that same refracting principle that concentrates disperse light rays into a single focal point that can be hazardous. Idaho Power recommends keeping water bottles out of sunlight if you keep them in your car.
Watch the video below.
