Incarcerated firefighters from the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp were recognized on the state Senate floor in March and on the Senate floor in April for their bravery during fires. The state Legislature has passed a bill that would give incarcerated firefighters a pay raise.
Courtesy photo
By Antonio Ray Harvey
Contributing Writer
SACRAMENTO — Incarcerated firefighters serving time in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation system are on edge as they await Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to sign or reject Assembly Bill 247.
Authored by Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, D-Culver City, the bill was passed Sept. 12 by the state Legislature and has made its way to the governor’s desk for consideration.
If Newsom signs AB 247, it will establish a pay raise for incarcerated firefighters.
“Right now, the incarcerated firefighters in California make roughly $1 an hour for their back-breaking, heroic labor,” Bryan said. “I believe that we can do better, and I believe that we should do better.
“Nobody should put their life on the line and earn less than the minimum wage. This bill raises the incarcerated firefighters by over 700%. It dignifies their lifesaving efforts,” he added.
The bill passed with unanimous support in the Assembly and Senate, indicating broad agreement on the need for the pay increase, including all 20 Republicans in the lower house. AB 247 passed 39-0 in the Senate, with nine Republicans voting in favor of the measure.
Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon , the new minority leader of the Assembly, was a volunteer firefighter for more than 15 years, eventually rising to the rank of battalion chief. He has worked alongside incarcerated firefighters and knows the essence of their bravery.
“We talk about recidivism, we talk about programs that work … this one is the absolutely best,” Flora said of the Conservation Camp Program. “I am proud of the author (Bryan) for bringing this forward in giving these men and helping these women get what they deserve.”
AB 247 guarantees that incarcerated people who battle California’s wildfires are fairly compensated for their service — a practice rooted in a tradition dating back to 1915.
The bill will bump their pay to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during active fire incidents. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, current pay swings from $5.80 to $10.24 per day, plus $1 per hour during active emergencies.
Incarcerated firefighters battled the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon in January, as part of California’s Conservation Fire Camps Program.
They performed duties such as clearing brush, digging fire lines and dislodging fuel behind structures to prevent the fire’s progression, Bryan said, adding that he wants the bill to go into effect immediately after the governor signs it.
“Amendments in the Senate put an emergency clause on this measure because they shouldn’t have to wait until January (when the bill goes into effect, it should be signed by the governor),” Bryan said. “Especially in the year when my home region saw the most destructive wildfires it has ever seen. Over 1,000 incarcerated firefighters stood in that fire line for over three weeks like heroes.”
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Los Angeles County Fire Department jointly operate 35 conservation camps, commonly known as minimum-security fire camps, located in 25 counties across California. Two of the camps are for incarcerated women.
The program clears the way for several job opportunities and benefits after release, including advanced training and the expungement of a criminal record. AB 247 builds upon those bonuses.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reported that incarcerated fire crews contributed 42% of the total emergency response hours in 2024. It’s the highest number ever recorded by the department’s fire camps.
Assemblywoman Sade Elhawary, D-Los Angeles, is a strong supporter of incarcerated firefighters and has also authored legislation aimed at providing them with better pay, benefits and career opportunities.
Elhawary co-authored with Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, AB 812, titled the Recall and Resentencing for Incarcerated Firefighters.” The measure would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to issue regulations for referring incarcerated firefighters to the court for resentencing.
The bill passed out of the Assembly with a 57-5 vote and in the Senate with a 30-10 vote on Sept. 9. The bill is designed to enhance pay, benefits and career opportunities for incarcerated firefighters.
“These individuals perform essential work side-by-side with professional firefighters, often on the front lines,” Elhawary said. “AB 247 (and AB 812) is more than about wages. It’s about acknowledging humanity and giving people a chance to rebuild their lives while they are helping us to save ours. Their bravery deserves respect and proper compensation.”
Antonio Ray Harvey is a reporter for California Black Media.
