What to KnowNearly 1,000 incarcerated firefighters have been out battling the wildfires tearing through Southern California this month.Inmate firefighters are paid up to roughly $10.24 each day, with additional money for 24-hour shifts amid an active wildfire, according to the corrections department.For a 24-hour shift fighting an active wildfire, crew members can typically earn $29.80.Incarcerated firefighters also earn time credits, usually two days off their sentence for each day on the crew.Prison reform advocates have argued that inmate fire crews should be paid more for their efforts and face fewer barriers to employment opportunities after release.In past wildfire seasons, as much as 30% of firefighting forces were members of incarcerated crews, but due to reforms and the COVID-19 pandemic, there are fewer eligible prisoners. Among the thousands of firefighters battling the relentless wind-driven blazes in Southern California this month, hundreds of them are prisoners, members of the statewide Conservation Fire Camp Program. CDCR continues to increase the number of incarcerated firefighters assisting @CAL_FIRE in Southern CA. As of Friday morning, 939 Fire Camp firefighters are working to cut fire lines and remove fuel to slow fire spread, including 110 support staff. pic.twitter.com/rkQu3hWXMm— CA Corrections (@CACorrections) January 10, 2025 Their role in protecting California and its residents from the life-threatening wildfires this past week has made headlines, and it was recently given a high-profile boost from Kim Kardashian, who called on Gov. Gavin Newsom via her Instagram Stories to raise the incarcerated firefighter pay. “The incarcerated firefighters have been paid $1/hour to risk their lives,” Kardashian’s post read. The Stories posts are no longer available, but screenshots were posted by TMZ. Who are the prisoners fighting California’s wildfires? The incarcerated firefighter program is operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It consists of 35 minimum-security facilities, or camps, in more than two dozen California counties. Inmates that meet certain qualifications can volunteer to join the program and those selected undergo training and then support state, local and federal government agencies as they respond to emergencies, including wildfires. In past wildfire seasons, as much as 30% of firefighting forces were members of incarcerated crews, the Los Angeles Times reported, though the pool of eligible inmates has dwindled recently due to prison reforms and the COVID-19 pandemic, the outlet said. Whereas there were more than 4,000 inmate firefighters in 2005, by mid-2024 the number was below 2,000. How much do California’s incarcerated firefighters earn? Though the state has long relied on prison labor to fight fires, the practice is controversial as the inmates are paid relatively little for the dangerous and difficult work. According to the state department of corrections’ website‘, incarcerated fire crew members earn between $5.80 and $10.24 per day as a base rate. While assigned to an active emergency, crew members earn an additional $1 per hour. Crew members can work a 24-hour shift followed by 24 hours of rest during emergencies, the department says, meaning for a 24-hour shift during an active wildfire, the lowest amount earned would be $29.80 in total.  This is significantly less than California’s minimum wage of $16.50 an hour. According to the Marshall Project, the reason California can pay inmate firefighters such a low wage is because involuntary servitude is permitted under the state’s constitution as punishment for a crime. A measure on the ballot in November would have removed that exemption, but California voters rejected it. Do inmate firefighters earn other benefits? Incarcerated firefighters do earn other benefits through the program, including time credits — most get two days off their sentence for each day they serve on a fire crew. In 2020, Newsom signed a bill into law intending to allow people who’d served on incarcerated fire crews to get their records expunged after release so they can seek employment within fire departments. A 2022 report from the ACLU called the legislation “a step in the right direction,” but criminal justice reform advocates say there are still too many hurdles for those seeking full-time employment in fire departments after release. Are inmate firefighters eligible for firefighting jobs after release? According to the corrections department, several state agencies worked with the nonprofit Anti-Recidivism Coalition to develop an 18-month training and certification program at the Ventura Training Center in Ventura County. Cadets who complete the training center program will be qualified to apply for entry-level firefighting jobs with local, state and federal agencies, the corrections department says. Kardashian specifically thanked firefighters from the Ventura Training Center on Instagram for fighting the fires in her community. Is there a way to donate to help incarcerated firefighters in Southern California? The Anti-Recidivism Coalition has also responded to the recent attention on California’s incarcerated firefighters by launching a fundraising effort. The Los Angeles Times reported the effort launched on Friday and cited the group’s executive director in reporting that they had brought in more than $40,000 in donations by Saturday. California Wildfires 23 hours ago Firefighters from Mexico get ready to battle Palisades Fire California Wildfires 6 hours ago California prisoner firefighter program draws harsh criticism amid L.A. wildfires