California Deploys Hundreds Of Inmates To Fight Raging Los Angeles Wildfires
As wildfires continue to devastate Los Angeles, California officials have turned to an unexpected source for additional firefighting manpower—incarcerated individuals. Nearly 800 prisoners have been dispatched to join over 7,500 firefighters battling the relentless blazes that have already destroyed thousands of structures and scorched tens of thousands of acres.
California’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed that 783 inmates, alongside 88 support staff, are actively participating through the state’s Fire Camp program. While officials defend the program as voluntary, critics argue that paying inmates as little as $5.80 to $10.24 per day, plus $1 per hour during emergencies, is nothing short of exploitation. This compensation pales in comparison to professional firefighters, who can earn more than $85,000 annually.
The use of prison labor highlights California’s desperate need for firefighters amid worsening wildfire seasons caused by mismanaged forests and overgrown brush. On the first day of the fires, emergency services were overwhelmed, forcing the state to rely on inmate crews to cut fire lines and clear vegetation in hazardous conditions.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration touts the program as a rehabilitation tool offering inmates a chance to reduce their sentences—two days for every day worked. However, many former inmate firefighters struggle to secure jobs in firefighting due to their criminal records, despite risking their lives on the front lines. Although a 2020 law aimed to help former inmates expunge their records, significant legal hurdles remain, leaving many without access to legitimate firefighting careers after release.
Prison reform advocates argue the program exploits cheap labor to fill dangerous jobs. A 2022 report by the ACLU revealed that four incarcerated firefighters were killed and over 1,000 injured in just five years. Critics claim the state dangles the promise of early release as bait to push inmates into risky situations for minimal pay.
California currently operates 35 minimum-security fire camps where inmates undergo four days of training before joining active fire lines. Despite the physical dangers, inmates are not permitted to use water hoses and instead rely on hand tools to battle the flames.
