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Reading Informational Text Unit Test

14 of 1514 of 15 Items

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.

(4 points)

Yes, cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans. The passage states that only 22% of high-risk communities in California have robust evacuation plans, and the Camp Fire in Paradise resulted in 85 deaths and nearly 19,000 buildings destroyed. The fact that people were found dead in their vehicles and burned-out vehicles were lined on the roads suggests that the lack of a detailed evacuation plan contributed to the loss of lives and property. Requiring cities to have detailed evacuation plans could help ensure that residents are able to safely and efficiently evacuate during emergencies.

Cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans to ensure the safety of their residents during natural disasters such as wildfires. The passage states that only 22% of high-risk communities in California have a robust, publicly available evacuation plan, including Paradise. This suggests that many towns are unprepared for evacuations, leading to traffic congestion and potential loss of life. The Camp Fire in Paradise resulted in 85 deaths, with some individuals found in their vehicles or outside of them. The presence of burned-out and abandoned vehicles along evacuation routes further highlights the lack of preparation and planning. Implementing a requirement for detailed evacuation plans would help mitigate these risks and save lives.

To answer the question, we need to look for specific textual evidence in the passage that discusses whether cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans. The passage states that only 22% of high-risk communities in California, including Paradise, have a robust and publicly available evacuation plan. It further mentions that during wildfires in various communities, motorists became stuck in traffic as officials tried to evacuate them. The passage also highlights the unprecedented scale of the disaster in Paradise's Camp Fire, with 85 deaths and nearly 19,000 buildings destroyed. This information suggests that cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans in order to minimize casualties and property damage during wildfires.