CASTAIC, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 22: Inmate firefighters work as the Hughes Fire burns north of Los Angeles on January 22, 2025 near Castaic, California. The fire is prompting mandatory evacuations little more than two weeks after the Eaton and Palisades Fires. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed legislation that raises the pay of state prisoners assigned to fight wildfires.
Assembly Bill 247, authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), increases wages for incarcerated firefighters from roughly $1 an hour to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, though this remains below California’s standard minimum wage of $16.50. The law takes effect immediately and follows a state budget this year allocating $10 million to fund these higher wages.
Prison fire crews play a key role in combating wildfires across the state. In January, more than 1,000 incarcerated workers helped battle fires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, some earning less than $30 per day. These crews primarily clear brush and dig containment lines, but they do not operate hoses. Jobs at one of California’s 35 minimum-security fire camps are voluntary and highly sought after compared with other prison work.
Simone Price, director of advocacy and organizing at the Center for Employment Opportunities, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, described the work as among the most “dangerous occupations available to individuals who are currently incarcerated.”
The issue of low pay for prison firefighters has gained attention in recent years. In 2020, Newsom signed a law allowing nonviolent incarcerated individuals who served on conservation camp fire crews to have their records expunged.
The California State Sheriffs’ Association opposed the bill, citing the cost of higher wages and noting that some prisoners already earn sentence reductions—two days for each day served on active fire crews. Newsom previously signed a related measure, Assembly Bill 248, allowing counties to set wages for prisoner workers.
In addition to AB 247, Newsom last Friday signed over two dozen bills addressing the January fires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Key measures include:
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AB 299 (Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, D-Encino): Allows disaster-displaced residents to stay in short-term lodging without being classified as “tenants.”
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AB 462 (Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, D-Long Beach): Streamlines approval for accessory dwelling units after disasters, including from the California Coastal Commission.
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SB 495 (Senator Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica): Lets policyholders delay itemizing insurance losses in total-loss situations and ensures insurers pay at least 60% of the coverage limit.
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