Currently CDCR operates 39 adult and juvenile Fire Camps with the California Dept of Forestry and Fire Protection with one of the main fire camp training facilities being Sierra Conservation Center in Jamestown. The minimum custody inmates, with no history of violent behavior, are trained in fire suppression and other emergencies such as floods and earthquakes. In
addition, fire crews work on conservation projects on public lands and
provide labor on local community services projects. The CDCR/CALFIRE
annual operating budget is approximately $2.35 million per camp with an annual savings to Californians of $80 million.
Historically 4,000 offenders participate yearly in
the Conservation Camp Program, which has approximately 200 fire
crews, however, according to CalFire Director Ken Pilmott due to attrition and AB 109 realignment the camps numbers have been reduced by 1500.
The reduction in qualified crew is a concern to areas that rely heavily on response of personnel from the local fire camps.
According to Pimlott many counties are in discussion with CDCR to contract back N3's (non-violent, non- sex offenders, non-serious offenders) in their jails to CDCR fire camps to replenish the manpower at the camps and reduce county jail populations.
Capt Macedo from Calaveras County Sheriff Dept stated that Calaveras County is currently not in discussions with CDCR. However, Tuolumne County Sheriff Mele stated that the, "California State Sheriff’s Association is talking
with CDCR on that subject and those talks are about funding and what the costs
would be to each county. We are and have been apart of those talks and
are interested in looking at these fire camps to help reduce our population."
By,
Charity Maness
