Incarcerated Firefighters Endure Harsh Conditions On The Frontlines Of Los Angeles Wildfires

Incarcerated people in California are playing a critical role in combating the devastating wildfires that are sweeping across Los Angeles County, often risking their lives on the frontlines. However, the price they pay for this essential work is steep—these incarcerated firefighters are regularly underpaid, overworked, and subjected to grueling conditions.

As reported by The Guardian, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced on Wednesday that 395 incarcerated firefighters are currently deployed across 29 crews as part of the CDCR’s Conservation Fire Camp Program. These prisoners, working alongside local, state, and federal agencies, are tackling several large fires, fueled by extreme winds and dry conditions, that have stretched emergency responders thin. They are embedded with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), which is also managing nearly 2,000 firefighters, all battling to contain the blazes.

The CDCR’s Conservation Fire Camp Program operates 35 conservation camps across 25 counties in California, according to the agency’s website. These camps provide opportunities for prisoners with minor offenses to participate in firefighting efforts. In March 2024, the CDCR launched a pilot program, allowing participants between the ages of 18 and 26 to join the program, according to KCRA 3. Fire camp participants support government agencies responding to natural and manmade emergencies, such as wildfires, floods, and other crises, but the job can be physically taxing. 

Long hours, high risks, and low pay.

Despite their crucial role, the work is demanding and dangerous. These fire crews, known as hand crews, fight wildfires without the benefit of water hoses. Instead, they rely on manual tools like axes, shovels, and chainsaws to remove brush and other materials, essentially starving the fire of fuel. As severe damage continues to devastate the affected areas, those on the frontlines are also facing a significantly higher risk of injury. Members of the Conservation Fire Camp Program are four times more likely to sustain injuries compared to other firefighters, Forbes noted.

According to CNN, firefighters in Los Angeles County have been battling relentless fires for days, struggling against strong winds and low humidity that have made conditions even more challenging  The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported the current status of several major fires across the region: the Palisades Fire, which has burned 15,832 acres and remains 0% contained; the Eaton Fire, which has scorched 10,600 acres and is also 0% contained; and the Hurst Fire, which has burned 855 acres and is 10% contained. As the fires rage on, the death toll is expected to rise, with at least five fatalities reported so far, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom.

The job becomes more complex when you factor in the firefighters’ long grueling hours and low pay. As noted on the CDCR’s website, participants in the Conservation Fire Camp Program are compensated between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, based on their skill level. While deployed to an active emergency, they earn an additional $1 per hour from CAL FIRE, regardless of experience. Crews typically work 24-hour shifts followed by a 24-hour rest period. For example, the lowest-paid firefighter could earn $26.90 for a full 24-hour shift during an active emergency. They are also paid during their rest periods, but even this pay remains well below the wages earned by their civilian counterparts in the firefighting industry.

The program is facing a participant shortage, leading to slower response times for fires across Los Angeles County.

Here’s another complicated piece to the puzzle. The shrinking pool of eligible prisoners has resulted in current participants being required to work longer hours and take on more strenuous tasks. According to the Los Angeles Times, prison reforms and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have drastically reduced the number of incarcerated individuals qualified for fire training and assignments. This shortage has had a direct impact on the response to the raging fires across Los Angeles County. Once a robust program that trained and deployed thousands of incarcerated firefighters, it has seen a steep decline in participation. At its peak in 2005, the program boasted 192 crews and 4,250 prisoner-firefighters. Today, however, that number has dwindled to fewer than 1,800, with only 83 active hand crews.

During a press conference on Jan. 8, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone confirmed the severity of the situation, stating that the city no longer had enough personnel to manage the escalating fires on its own. 

“No, L.A. County, and all 29 fire departments in our county, are not prepared for this type of widespread disaster. There are not enough firefighters in L.A. County to address four separate fires of this magnitude,” Marrone said, according to PEOPLE. “We’re doing the very best we can, but no we don’t have enough fire personnel.”

Hope still remains.

Even with camp sizes shrinking, CAL FIRE and state corrections officials remain optimistic. They are adapting by using younger prisoners, extending the service of seasonal crews, and collaborating with organizations like the California Conservation Corps and the California Military Department. These efforts, they believe, will help meet the demand for firefighting manpower and eventually return the incarcerated firefighter program to pre-pandemic levels.

Prisoners remain eager to participate, too, seeing the program as both a means of self-improvement and a potential path to shorten their sentences. Participants in the program can earn time credits for their service. Most receive 2-for-1 credits, meaning they earn two additional days off their sentence for every day served on a fire crew.

“The fire crews want to go out and support our communities and protect people and property,” Amika Mota, a former volunteer with California Conservation Fire Camp Program, told The Guardian. Mota participated from 2012 to 2015 while incarcerated and responded to more than 20 fires. “It’s horrific to see what’s unfolding, but I know the firefighters inside have a desire to take part and are walking into these horrible conditions proud to be there.” 

Mota added that changes need to happen to ensure the safety and financial security of program participants.

“We’re doing this heroic, crucial work, but many people inside cannot support their family, can barely afford to just get hygiene [supplies] for themselves. Nobody is saving money with wages for when you go home. Nobody is able to send money to cover the expenses their children are incurring.”

Carlos Valdivia, who joined the program after being sentenced to 23 years for a gang-related offense at age 18, shared his experience with KCRA 3 in a March 19 interview. Valdivia explained how the program has been a transformative experience for him, helping him learn valuable lessons about himself and his potential for change.

“I’ve learned that I don’t know everything and that I can be taught so much, and that when people invest in you, you can achieve far. Greatness,” he added. “I seek to serve others. I seek to help my community, to be a blessing to my family and just to be a better person than I was before I came in.”

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