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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. The passage states that only 22% of high-risk communities, including Paradise, have a robust and publicly available evacuation plan. This implies that the majority of cities at high risk from wildfires do not have adequate plans in place. The Camp Fire in Paradise resulted in 85 deaths, with many found in their vehicles or outside abandoned vehicles. This suggests that a lack of proper evacuation planning can lead to individuals being trapped and unable to escape the flames. Requiring cities to have detailed evacuation plans would ensure that communities are better prepared to respond to wildfires and protect their residents.

Based on the passage, it is evident that many fire-prone towns in California, including Paradise, do not have detailed evacuation plans. The passage states that only 22% of communities at high risk from wildfires have robust evacuation plans, and Paradise is one of them. The passage further highlights the devastation caused by the Camp Fire in Paradise, resulting in 85 deaths and nearly 19,000 buildings destroyed. Additionally, it mentions that motorists in other fire-prone communities often became stuck in traffic during evacuations. This information suggests that requiring cities to have detailed evacuation plans would be beneficial in ensuring the safety of residents during fire emergencies.

Based on the passage, it is notable that only 22% of high-risk communities in California, including Paradise, have a comprehensive evacuation plan. The Camp Fire in Paradise resulted in the highest number of deaths and destroyed buildings in California's history, with some victims found in their vehicles. The passage does not explicitly state whether cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans. However, the mention of burned-out and abandoned vehicles on roads suggests a lack of effective evacuation planning. Therefore, one could argue that cities should indeed be required to have detailed evacuation plans in order to ensure the safety of their residents during natural disasters.