The military of firefighters battling the large Southern California wildfires contains staff who may in any other case stay safely behind bars.
Nearly 400 jail inmates have been deployed by the California division of corrections and rehabilitation (CDCR) to include the blazes, the division stated in a press release to The Guardian. The crews of incarcerated firefighters are embedded with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) to help its practically 2,000 firefighters.
CDCR didn’t instantly reply to CBS MoneyWatch’s request for remark.
The imprisoned firefighters volunteer to take part in CDCR’s Conservation (Fire) Camps Program and are paid for his or her work. Participants helps state, native and federal authorities businesses after they reply to pure disasters.
CDCR operates 35 so-called fireplace camps throughout 25 totally different California counties. Two of the camps are for incarcerated ladies. They are minimum-security amenities staffed with correctional personnel who supervise camp contributors 24 hours per day.
Participation within the camps is voluntary, and those that take part have to be deemed bodily and mentally match. Additionally, they will need to have not more than eight years remaining on their sentences. Convictions for rape and different intercourse offenses, in addition to for homicide, arson and another severe crimes, disqualifies an inmate from collaborating.
How a lot do incarcerated firefighters make?
Imprisoned firefighters’ pay depends upon their ability degree. They earn between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, in line with CDCR, which pays their wages. Wage ranges doubled in 2023, up from between $2.90 and $5.12 per day.
Inmates in this system additionally earn supplemental pay whereas responding to emergencies. Cal Fire pays an extra $1 an hour, no matter firefighters’ ability degree. And when crews work a 24-hour shift, adopted by a 24-hour interval of relaxation, the lowest-skilled firefighter would earn $26.90 in a day.
Additionally, camp contributors earn time credit towards their sentences. Specifically, most earn two further days off their sentences for day by day served on a hearth crew.
Camp contributors are eligible for employment with Cal Fire as soon as they’ve served their sentences, a path many select to take, in line with CDCR.
As of Thursday afternoon, the fires had scorched greater than 45 sq. miles throughout the Los Angeles space. At least 5 persons are lifeless, and greater than 179,000 Los Angelenos have been beneath evacuation orders, in line with officers.
