by Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO – As California enters yet another perilous wildfire season, state lawmakers unveiled a sweeping legislative package aimed at honoring the labor and sacrifice of incarcerated firefighters and removing the reentry barriers they face after release.
The Firefighting to Freedom legislative package seeks to correct longstanding inequities experienced by the more than 1,800 incarcerated people who serve on fire crews each year. These individuals are often paid just $5.80 a day, with an extra $1 per hour when actively fighting fires—despite performing dangerous, life-saving work. Once released, they encounter steep barriers to employment in firefighting and other basic reentry needs such as housing and education.
The bill package includes seven bills, five of which have already passed their houses of origin with unanimous support. Collectively, the package provides incarcerated firefighters with better pay, reentry opportunities, and a formal path into professional fire service roles.
Highlights of the legislation include:
- AB 247 (Bryan): Raises pay for incarcerated individuals to $7.25 per hour while actively engaged in firefighting.
- AB 799 (C. Rodriguez): Establishes a death benefit for any incarcerated firefighter who dies in the line of duty.
- AB 812 (Lowenthal): Requires CDCR to create a process for referring incarcerated fire crew members for resentencing consideration.
- AB 952 (Elhawary): Makes permanent and expands a youth offender fire camp pilot program.
- AB 1380 (Elhawary): Creates a pathway for formerly incarcerated fire camp participants to become CAL FIRE Firefighter I employees.
- SB 245 (Reyes): Expedites expungement relief for formerly incarcerated fire crew members.
- SB 423 (Smallwood-Cuevas): Expands fire-related college coursework, CAL FIRE training, and establishes a new LA County Local Handcrew Pilot Program.
These bills were crafted with the direct input of formerly incarcerated firefighters, such as Royal Ramey, Co-Founder and CEO of The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program.
“I served as an incarcerated firefighter, and today I train and mentor others who’ve put their lives on the line,” Ramey said. “This bill package is a game-changer. It recognizes the humanity, skill, and courage of incarcerated firefighters and ensures they are treated with the dignity and respect they’ve long earned.”
Legislators sponsoring the bills spoke to the urgent need for a more equitable system.
“During the LA fires this year, it was incarcerated people on the frontlines—not for glory, not for pay, but because they were called to protect,” said Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (AD-57). “This package is about more than policy—it’s about basic respect and believing in redemption.”
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (AD-55) emphasized that incarcerated firefighters “deserve our gratitude and to be compensated fairly with a wage that respects their humanity and heroism.”
Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez (AD-43), who authored AB 799, added, “These individuals risk their lives to safeguard our homes and our families. If one of them loses their life in the line of duty, we have a responsibility to honor that sacrifice.”
Other lawmakers echoed these themes. Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (AD-69) called the incarcerated fire crews “Fire Camp heroes,” noting they “don’t just deserve a second chance—they’ve earned it.” Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes (SD-29), author of SB 245, said, “These courageous—and qualified—individuals have paid their debt to society while serving on the front lines. It is our duty to remove the barriers between them and successful futures.”
Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (SD-28), author of SB 423, noted that her bill will help close the gap between incarceration and gainful employment in the fire service.
“For too long, the state has exploited our incarcerated fire crews,” she said. “SB 423 ensures they receive the support they need to continue serving the state after their release.”
The legislation is backed by a broad coalition of advocacy groups, including Initiate Justice Action, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Californians for Safety and Justice, Prosecutors Alliance Action, The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, and Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.
Cristine Soto DeBerry, Executive Director of Prosecutors Alliance Action, said, “This bill package will strengthen our communities by turning lived experience and proven service into long-term public safety solutions.”
Taina Vargas, Executive Director of Initiate Justice Action, underscored the historical significance of the effort: “These brave firefighters defended lives and property in the 2018 Camp Fire, the 2020 North Complex Fire, and so many others. This bill package finally delivers for them and strengthens all of our communities in the process.”
As climate change continues to fuel longer and more severe fire seasons, lawmakers argue that the Firefighting to Freedom package is not only a matter of justice but a critical investment in public safety.
