California’s century-old prisoner firefighter program is drawing fresh criticism as hundreds of incarcerated people have been deployed to fight the deadly wildfires in the Greater Los Angeles...

Jan 18, 2025 · Incarcerated firefighters from the Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp 41, a medium-security state prison, are helping battle the Eaton fire.

Sep 1, 2022 · In California, inmate firefighters form handcrews, creating breaks in vegetation and carving out swaths of barren soil that deny flames fuel to go further. They eke these precious perimeters out...

Jan 13, 2025 · Through the California Conservation (Fire) Camp Program, incarcerated people are among those risking their lives to fight the flames. The inmates, who are trained to respond to disasters like...

Jan 17, 2025 · The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said that, as of Wednesday morning, 1,116 incarcerated people were embedded with the state’s other firefighters to help slow ...

Jul 9, 2024 · Inmate fire crews are made up of 12 to 17 firefighters, led by a fire captain. Inmates who have been convicted of violent crimes, such as rape, lewd acts with a child under 14 or any felony...

Jan 23, 2025 · The fire danger in Southern California is far from over. As crews continue their battle, incarcerated firefighters part of a long-running state program are on the frontline. Supporters say the ...

Jan 10, 2025 · California has relied on incarcerated firefighters since 1915. And prison labor has been used to respond to emergencies and disasters nationwide for centuries, said Bianca Tylek, executive...

Jan 11, 2025 · Criminal justice advocates say that California’s fire camp program — like other prison labor programs — exploits incarcerated people. The incarcerated firefighters are paid less than minimum ...

Jul 18, 2024 · California has long relied on its prison population to help fight wildfires. It is one of at least 14 states that operates fire camps for incarcerated people to train to fight fires. It's an...