As wildfires proceed to threaten neighborhoods in Los Angeles County, over 1,000 prisoners are working as firefighters to assist extinguish the blazes, in line with the California Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Sal Almanza is a kind of inmates. He shared with ABC Information Reside what it is like battling the flames, and what he has realized from this expertise.
“Seeing the devastation, folks dropping their houses and the impression on households within the Los Angeles space has simply been terrible to see,” Almanza stated. “However the generosity, love and outpour from the group has actually been encouraging and uplifting for me and the blokes.”
Inmate firefighters dig a containment line as they battle the Palisades Hearth on Jan. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Photos
Inmates like Almanza volunteered for the Conservation (Hearth) Camps Program, and is embedded with Cal Hearth crew members. This system operates 35 fireplace camps, spanning 25 counties in California.
Those that take part in this system earn between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, plus $1 an hour when responding to energetic emergencies, in line with the CDCR. Prisoners combating the Los Angeles fires like Almanza are working 24-hour shifts, incomes $26.90 per day.
Inmates additionally obtain two further days off their sentence for each someday they serve on the fireplace crew. Almanza is at the moment up for parole in August 2026.
No matter the advantages, Almanza stated his son again residence motivates him probably the most whereas battling these flames.
“Giving one thing again to the group and doing one thing optimistic whereas I am doing this sentence was an important for me [and] having my son having the ability to look and see his father doing one thing good,” Almanza stated.
Almanza was joined by correctional officer Lt. Manny Nunez, who advised ABC Information this system offers inmates the instruments and assets they want for a brand new starting.
“We’re all human, all people makes a mistake,” Nunez stated. “And there must be a path for a second likelihood. And this program that we’ve got, the camp program, it offers them simply that.”
Sal Almanza, an inmate firefighter battling the LA fires, is seen on digicam with a correctional officer Lieutenant Manny Nunez.
ABC Information
Nunez stated the incarcerated firefighters are supplied with coaching, tools and personnel to oversee them whereas “they’re out right here doing actually essential work that must be completed.”
“I believe this program offers gents like Sal a way of function that they won’t have had earlier than.” Nunez stated. “It offers them hope that they’ll aspire to be an individual that they by no means realized they have been and that they’ve potential past what they may have beforehand completed themselves.”
At the least 27 folks have died from the California wildfires, with 18 folks nonetheless lacking. The Palisades Hearth, positioned within the Pacific Palisades, has destroyed about 5,000 constructions and is at 31% containment. The Eaton Hearth, north of Pasadena, additionally continues to burn, burning over 14,000 acres, and is 65% contained.
“Good Morning America” kicked off its “SoCal Sturdy” (#SoCalStrong) protection on Friday, highlighting the impacted communities and providing fundraising opportunities for victims of the fires. The protection will proceed throughout a number of ABC Information packages and platforms.
ABC Information’ Tesfaye Negussie contributed to this report.
