Although it seems to me that because SUVs are higher off the ground than other cars it would make it less likely for the hot catalytic converter to make leaves catch fire. Or do the catalytic converters on SUVs tend to get hotter than the ones on normal cars (possibly due to the higher emissions output)?

I have actually heard of this happen locally. A few summers ago, a BLM employee parked his work truck over some dry brush and the brush caught on fire from the hot cat.

But I'd have to agree with antp. It could happen to any vehicle. It's just trucks are more prone to be taken off-road in this day and age (although I do know some of the younger crowd take their sedans off-roading).

I have been of road and parked with the engine running before and didn’t have a problem. But I’m not saying it couldn’t happen. Anything can happen these days, nothings to crazy for me anymore.

I heard that possibility about any car, no especially SUVs. But SUVs are maybe more prone to be parked in high grass than a normal car.

*SPOILER WARNING*

In the final episode of The Sopranos, AJ Soprano is in his Nissan XTerra with his girlfriend parked in the woods. It is sitting over dry leaves. Suddenly we see smoke oozing through the air vents and flames coming from under the bonnet and AJ and his girlfriend bail out before the whole car burst into flames. Later on, his father Tony berates him for not being careful when parking offroad, saying it was an SUV and the catalytic coverter gets really hot. Has anyone else seen the episode or heard of this happening to SUVs before?