Over 1,000 of those on the front lines battling the fires are people experiencing incarceration. These individuals sign up for the role through the Conservation (Fire) Camps Program and are paid, on average, $10 daily. They also receive a two-for-one benefit, meaning that their sentences are shortened by two days for each day they work.
The program operates from 35 low-security prisons statewide, and it includes two all-women camps. It used to be that incarcerated individuals who fought fires while serving time were unable to become actual professional firefighters once released, but thanks to advocacy and awareness, that restriction was overturned in 2020. Of course, that doesn’t mean individuals have an easy time getting jobs once released—indeed, the barriers are high.
A couple of excellent pieces about California’s use of incarcerated individuals for firefighters include this (paywalled) piece from Rolling Stone and Teen Vogue’s story about the last wildfire fighting camp for incarcerated teens in the state.
Highlighting the efforts of individuals experiencing incarceration when it comes to the fires is crucial. As mentioned earlier, despite no longer being restricted from pursuing firefighting as a career, there are myriad barriers and challenges making that future viable. It’s also a reality that these people are not having their intellectual needs met while behind bars. California limits the materials available to those in prisons, often via arbitrary decisions made in those institutional mailrooms.