The following maps show the severity of droughts across the United States in September of 2007 and the locations of wildfires in the United States throughout that same year.

Question

The maps show that the chance of wildfires increases as drought increases. Which of the following would best help mitigate the risk of wildfires during drought conditions?
A.
constructing houses that are spaced closely together in affected regions
B.
enacting bans that prohibit the burning of leaves or trash in affected regions
C.
spreading a layer of hay (dried grass) over the ground in affected regions
D.
planting brushy vegetation along major highways in affected regions

Answer 1

The best option to help mitigate the risk of wildfires during drought conditions is:

B. enacting bans that prohibit the burning of leaves or trash in affected regions.

This option directly addresses the human activities that can ignite wildfires, particularly in regions experiencing drought. Preventing open burning can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidental fires that can spread in dry, drought-affected areas.

The other options either do not effectively reduce the risk of wildfires or may even increase it:

• A (constructing houses that are spaced closely together) could potentially increase the spread of fire risks between structures.
• C (spreading a layer of hay over the ground) could serve as fuel for a fire rather than mitigating it.
• D (planting brushy vegetation along major highways) may also increase fire risk by providing additional fuel.

Thus, option B is the most effective choice for wildfire risk mitigation during drought conditions.