Female prison inmates battle wildfires on path to redemption: Im here paying a price for that

33 incarcerated women at Puerta La Cruz Conservation Camp are volunteering to be on the front lines this wildfire season in California as part of an effort to turn their lives around.CAL FIRE and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) have partnered on prison labor, specifically for women, ever since 1983.Puerta La Cruz is only one of two conservation camps (along with Malibu) for women in the state that trains incarcerated women to fight wildfires.

Through this, women earn $7.25 per hour while being able to reduce their prison sentences.“I think a lot of us have a lot of guilt and remorse and shame… doing this and giving back to the community and pushing your body physically to points that you never thought possible, and it’s rewarding,” a women previously arrested for DUI told ABC10.Outside of the CAL FIRE and CDCR joint program, the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) also houses incarcerated women while giving them a chance for redemption.Located in Chowchilla, the CCWF also trains female prisoners to be firefighters, but in ways that do not revolve around wildland firefighting.Priscilla Charris, one of the inmates, talked about the fulfillment she felt in helping others.“I have so many reasons why (I love this job), but the most important reason is giving back to the community that I took from.

I did my crime and I’m here paying a price for that,” she said.“What I love about this job, is everything… I love the sisterhood (and) the guidance,” Charris continued.

The training includes a “tool out” inspection, where firefighters’ equipment is checked and their fire knowledge tested.Participants then complete a one-hour hike, a fire shelter drill and an hour of fire line construction.California sees nearly 8,000 wildfires each year, and CAL FIRE relies heavily on hand crews to help contain them.

Nearly half of those crews are made up of incarcerated men and women, according to state officials.As of ...