ing Informational Text Unit Test

Question

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Feature
Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

Many fire-prone California towns don’t plan for evacuations

Counterintuitive as it may sound, Paradise has some of the strongest evacuation planning in California. In fact, a USA TODAY Network-California survey of communities at high risk from wildfires found only 22% (including Paradise) have a robust, publicly available evacuation plan.

The scale of disaster in the Camp Fire was unprecedented, but the scene of people fleeing wildfires was familiar, repeated numerous times over the past three years up and down California from Redding and Paradise to Santa Rosa, Ventura, and Malibu.

In many of those communities, motorists became stuck in traffic as officials tried to evacuate thousands onto a few roads leading away from the flames.

NO REQUIREMENT TO PLAN

The 85 deaths and nearly 19,000 buildings destroyed in Paradise’s Camp Fire made it the deadliest and most destructive blaze in California history. Eight of those who perished were found in their vehicles, with two others found outside their vehicles.

In some spots, burned-out and abandoned vehicles lined roads leading out of town.

Should cities be required to have detailed evacuation plans? In 3–5 sentences, answer the question and provide specific textual evidence to support your analysis

Answer 1

Yes, cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans. The passage highlights that only 22% of high-risk wildfire communities, such as Paradise, have robust evacuation plans, which is concerning given the scale of disasters like the Camp Fire. The text states that the Camp Fire led to 85 deaths and extensive destruction, with many fatalities occurring in vehicles, indicating the dangers of poorly planned evacuations. Furthermore, the mention of motorists getting stuck in traffic while trying to evacuate underscores the chaos that can ensue without pre-established evacuation routes and plans, emphasizing the need for structured preparation in fire-prone areas.