California Inmates 'Working Around the Clock' to Help Fight Wildfires

As the deadly wildfires continue to cause devastation in Southern California, questions are again arising over the use of a frequently criticized program under which inmates are among those fighting the blazes.

The Conservation (Fire) Camp Program, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, is jointly operated by the agency alongside the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. There are currently 35 fire camps in 25 counties in the state of California where inmates who volunteer for the program receive classroom and field training.

When reached for comment about the program, a CDCR rep told Complex that 783 Fire Camp firefighters were “working around the clock” as of Thursday.

“CDCR Fire Camp Program firefighters are proud to be embedded with CAL FIRE personnel to protect lives, property, and natural resources in Southern California,” the rep told Complex in an email Friday morning. “As of Thursday, 783 Fire Camp firefighters have been working around the clock cutting fire lines and removing fuel from behind structures to slow fire spread, including 88 support staff.”

To qualify for the program, per CDCR, inmates must be determined to be “physically and mentally fit.” They must also have no more than eight years left on their sentence, with certain types of convictions, including those for rape, automatically disqualifying incarcerated individuals from the program. As for pay, CDCR lists it as “between $5.80 and $10.24 per day.” An additional $1 per hour is added in emergency situations, during which crews can work full 24-hour shifts.

The program, not to mention prison labor at large, has long been the subject of criticism. The existence of such labor is linked to a clause in the 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction,” the amendment reads.

The California fires, shocking imagery of which has dominated the news cycle this week, has thus far led to the burning of thousands of structures, including homes. Thursday, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner confirmed 10 deaths as a result of the fires. In a statement, a rep cautioned that the process of identifying victims could be extensive.

For info on how to help those in need during this difficult time, see here.