For less than the minimum wage, inmates fight California’s fires

If Californians place the responsibility to save people's homes and our shared wilderness on the shoulders of people in prison, they should be willing to pay them the wages that account for the level of risk and responsibility that person is undertaking,

said Emily Galvin-Almanza, founder and executive director of Partners for Justice, a nonprofit seeking to improve the public defender system

My son has grown a passion for this,

Bonilla said, noting he was initially skeptical

This is exactly why he went to fire camp,

Curtis said

I know the biggest compensation comes from the Lord and from him being valued as an individual being out there, besides what he's convicted for,

she said

I feel scared because, to me, he's still a child,

she said

Rejecting the legality of slave wages in prison and giving people meaningful pay for their labor whether they are in prison or out isn't just morally the right thing to do, it's also great for public safety, because over 90 percent of people come home from prison, and those who have been able to work and save money to start their life anew will be much more likely to succeed when they come home,

she said

We're doing this heroic, crucial work, but many people inside cannot support their family, can barely afford to just get hygiene [supplies] for themselves. Nobody is saving money with wages for when you go home. Nobody is able to send money to cover the expenses their children are incurring,

Amika Mota, who previously served as an incarcerated firefighter, told The Guardian

CDCR Fire Camp Program firefighters are proud to be embedded with CAL FIRE personnel to protect lives, property, and natural resources in Southern California,

a CDCR spokesperson told Newsweek

Wildfires are a constant and formidable challenge for California. The work of our incarcerated firefighters and staff is an essential part of this effort, and their commitment to protecting lives and property during these emergencies cannot be overstated."

Jeff Macomber, secretary of CDCR, in a statement

It felt like you were doing something that mattered instead of rotting away in a cell."

Princess Griffen, a former inmate firefighter, told CalMatters