by 
kuyakev
ANSWERS: 2
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I have heard this phrase in the context of ammunition stored in a vehicle or depot. If the vehicle or storage area catches fire, the propellant charges in the ammunition can ignite. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_off This isn't particularly dangerous with small-arms ammunition as the unfocused ignition of the cartridges doesn't propel the bullets with much force. It *can* be quite dangerous for larger shells (e.g. artillery or tank gun rounds), especially in an enclosed space.
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Cooking off is when a munition detonates due to excessive temperature. What happens next depends on what caused the temperature AND what sort of munition it is. Throwing a bomb/grenade in a fire will get you a groundburst, possibly with horrific fragmentation, but you asked about bullets. Small-arms bullets in a fire will go off in random directions. The lack of a barrel will result in a lower velocity and less "muzzle" energy, but it might still be deadly. If the round cooks off in a weapon due to excessive barrel temperatures, the gun may fire continuously until it runs out of ammunition... or melts.
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