Critical Reasoning

The town of Enderton is located in an area where forest fires are quite common. During
dry periods and periods of persistent winds, when even a spark can result in a fire that
spreads over many acres, the danger of fire there is particularly serious. To help prevent
forest fires in the area, the town government plans to post a ban on outdoor fires when
such conditions prevail.


Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest indication that the town's plan will
have at most a minor effect on the annual number of forest fires in the Enderton area?


A. Most of the tourists who visit the forests surrounding Enderton also visit Enderton
itself.
B. Although there are county fire fighters available to combat forest fires in the area,
Enderton itself has no professional fire fighters.
C. Very few forest fires in the Enderton area result from fires deliberately set by
arsonists.
D. Nearly all forest fires in the Enderton area are the result of lightning strikes.
E. The number of forest fires in the Enderton area has not increased significantly in
the last several years.