These prisoners, mobilized to fight the gigantic forest fires in Southern California, will receive an amount less than the minimum wage.
To fight against the flames which left 24 dead in Los Angeles, thousands of firefighters were mobilized to contain the progression of the fire which had spread over the weekend to the northwest of the city and threatened in particular the densely populated San Fernando Valley. The authorities have put in place an initiative to support rescuers: 939 inmates have been deployed since Friday by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
These temporary fire teams are integrated into the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Cal Fire, as noted by CBS News. All are volunteers and paid, even if the amount may seem insignificant. According to the CDCR, they earn between 5.80 and 10.24 dollars per day (between 5.68 and 10.03 euros).
35 fire camps
However, not all inmates can participate: those convicted of rape and other sexual offenses, murder, arson and other serious crimes cannot join the operation. Last point, they must not have more than eight years to serve. Beyond the amounts of money obtained, participants can earn time credits to reduce their sentence. Concretely, a prisoner erases two days for one day worked within a firefighting team over the duration of the sentence.
-Among the missions required, inmates remove vegetation to cut fire lines, move combustibles behind structures to slow fires or may work in camps to support troops on the ground. They may perform tasks such as cooking, laundry, and ensuring the water treatment plant runs smoothly.
This initiative is set up by the CDCR to offer a path to reintegration. According to the organization, a good number of prisoners who passed through Cal Fire later joined the company. In total, CDCR operates 35 fire camps in 25 California counties.
