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 states that only 22% of high-risk communities in California have a robust, publicly available evacuation plan, including Paradise. The Camp Fire in Paradise resulted in 85 deaths, with eight of those found in their vehicles and two found outside their vehicles. This suggests that a lack of a detailed evacuation plan can lead to people becoming trapped and unable to escape the flames. Requiring cities to have evacuation plans could help ensure the safety of residents during wildfires and prevent unnecessary deaths and destruction.