33 incarcerated women at Puerta La Cruz Conservation Camp are volunteering to be on the front lines of California wildfires in an effort to turn their lives around.
Puerta La Cruz is only one of two conservation camps 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 toldOutside of the CAL FIRE and CDCR joint program, the Central California Women’s Facility 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.
“I have so many reasons why , 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 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 April 2026, roughly 1,920 incarcerated firefighters were assigned to fire camps across California, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. CDCR said inmate firefighters may work 24-hour shifts from 7 a.m. to 7 a.m. before getting a 24-hour recovery period. Others work 12-hour shifts followed by an equal amount of rest.
Lieutenant Michael Bennett, who oversees the program, said the women in the camps consistently prove themselves among the state’s toughest firefighters.
“The men crews, you’ll see they’ll cut a line, and it might be 300-400 yards, but it’s squiggly. It’s not straight. The females will go up there, and it’s perfectly straight because of attention to detail,” Bennett said.
“I always tell people, I will take the female crew that I have here against any male crew any day. ”The firefighting program is voluntary, and inmates must earn a spot through a competitive selection process. Not everyone qualifies. For those who do, the camps offer more than just a chance to fight fires.
Many participants say they are focused on building a better future, accepting they cannot change their past while working to forge a new path through service. State data suggests the program may be paying off. According to CDCR, inmates who spend at least one year in a fire camp have a recidivism rate of 31.6%.
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