Copper Blocks not oxidising when near fire blocks

Taking into consideration that fire in the real world needs oxygen to burn, and Copper blocks oxidise when exposed to oxygen. Perhaps it should be a feature that all copper blocks that are within 2 blocks horizontally or above a fire block will never oxidise for as long the fire burns. This could be an alternate way to keep copper blocks in one state until the player can get their hands on honeycombs to wax their copper with?