By Brian Niemietz
New York Daily News
LOS ANGELES — Nearly 800 prison inmates have been temporarily freed to assist firefighters in controlling the deadly Southern California wildfires that have burned with no end in sight since Tuesday.
Those inmates are part of a minimum-security Conservation Camp Program consisting of 35 “fire camps” spread throughout California. The camps are staffed by more than 1,800 incarcerated crew members, who provide crucial support during emergencies including floods and fires.
“As of today, 783 Fire Camp firefighters have been working around the clock cutting fire lines and removing fuel from behind structures to slow fire spread,” the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) confirmed to the Daily News on Thursday.
Roughly half of those firefighting inmates were released on Wednesday, while the other half suited up Thursday. They’re accompanied by 88 support staff.
Inmate participation in the Conservation Camp Program is voluntary and paid. Depending on skill level, those workers typically earn between $5.80 and $10.24 for a day’s work, or more during an active emergency, according to the CDCR website.
“The program paves the way for several job opportunities and benefits after release, including advanced training and criminal record expungement,” the site says.
Incarcerated laddermen are said to be assisting roughly 2,000 firefighters from the L.A. Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, who have been spread thin battling multiple blazes across Los Angeles County.
More than 9,000 homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed in the Palisades and Eaton fires, according to the L.A Times. Those two fires alone had consumed nearly 34,000 acres and were 0% contained as of Thursday evening.
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