I've learned in school, from my chemistry teacher, that fire is an exothermic reaction with oxygen. However, when iron is oxidizing, that IS a reaction with oxygen and it is also exothermic (it actually produces some heat. Single use pocket warmers work using this principle). So, if your car is rusting, according to my chemistry teacher, it is actually burning.
The people at the local scrapyard were not very amused, though, when I called them and said that all their scrap was on fire.
