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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.

Yes, cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans. This is evident from the article, which states that only 22% of fire-prone communities in California, including Paradise, have robust and publicly available evacuation plans. The Camp Fire in Paradise resulted in the deaths of 85 people, many of whom were found in their vehicles or outside their vehicles while attempting to flee. The lack of evacuation planning in many California towns has resulted in situations where motorists become stuck in traffic, hindering their ability to escape the flames. Detailed evacuation plans would help ensure the safety of residents during wildfires and prevent tragic outcomes.

Yes, cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans. The lack of evacuation planning in many fire-prone California towns has proven to be deadly and dangerous, as seen in the Camp Fire. According to a USA TODAY Network-California survey, only 22% of high-risk communities have robust and publicly available evacuation plans. The fact that motorists in these communities became stuck in traffic while trying to escape the flames highlights the need for proper planning. Requiring cities to have detailed evacuation plans would ensure that residents are prepared and have clear instructions on how to safely evacuate during emergencies. This would save lives and prevent further destruction.