Peter Rhodes on wildfires, bullets and the noisier side of romance
Given that America is awash with an estimated 300 million guns and 45 percent of households possess at least one weapon, you may be wondering how firefighters in Los Angeles approach blazing homes. Do they expect exploding ammo flying everywhere? Apparently not.
In an online discussion, one US firefighter explains: “Loaded weapons can cook off in a fire, and the round could kill, but it is rare enough that we don’t worry a lot about it.”
The National Rifle Association is equally relaxed: “When small arms ammunition is burned, cartridge cases may burst open and bits of brass may fly about, but not with any great velocity, and usually not with force enough to be dangerous to life.”
