This is an argumentative passage, and we have to weaken the position of the emergency response officials.

Which of the following, if true, would seriously weaken the claim of the emergency response officials?

A. The publicity surrounding fires is largely limited to the city in which the accident happened.- Describing the area covered would not make much of a difference in weakening the argument- OUT

B. Fires tend to occur more often during certain summer months when it is dry and hot.- Hold, as this option says that the fire actually increases in summer and that it is not the increased number of reports.- Correct

C. News organizations do not have any guidelines to help them decide how severe or close a fire must be for it to receive coverage.- This option actually strengthens the argument rather than weakening. As if there is no guidelines the coverage can also report minor incidents. -OUT

D. Fires receive coverage only when news sources find it advantageous to do so.- Irrelevant- OUT

E. Studies by the government show that the number of fires in Springfield is almost the same every month.- Strengthens, as if the number of fires are almost same, then the media outlets are reporting it wrong. OUT

IMO B

Hope this helps!