Along with teams from other states and Mexico, hundreds of inmates from the California prison system are also assisting in firefighting efforts.
Nearly 950 incarcerated firefighters were dispatched “to cut fire lines and remove flammable fuel to slow the spread of the fire,” according to an update from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Although the state has long relied on prison labor to fight fires, the practice is controversial as inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work. Inmates are paid up to about $10.24 per day, with additional money for 24-hour shifts, according to the corrections department.
You can read more about the imprisoned firefighters here.
AP.
