Inmate firefighters get pay raise under bill signed by Governor

By Miriam Raftery

Image: Inmate firefighter; cc via Bing

October 14, 2025 (Sacramento) – They risk their lives to battle wildfires. Yet California’s inmate firefighters are currently paid just $1 to $10 for an entire day’s work, plus $1 an hour during active duty.  A bill signed by Governor Gavin Newsom will raise the rate to $7.25 an hour (the federal minimum wage) during active duty.

The measure, AB 247, was introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles).

“We commend Governor Newsom for signing AB 247 into law and taking a meaningful step toward justice for California’s incarcerated firefighters,” says Simone Price , Director of Organizing at the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), a co-sponsor of the bill.. “This long-overdue legislation ensures that incarcerated individuals risking their lives to protect our communities during active duty will finally earn a wage of $7.25 per hour.”

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) employment services exclusively to people recently released from incarceration. 

Price thanked the bill’s author and the formerly incarcerated firefighters who shared their experiences in their testimony.  “Their voices and tireless advocacy shaped this policy and made this progress possible,” Price says.

Price notes that despite being hailed as heroes while battling wildfires, thousands of experienced formerly incarcerated firefighters each year return home eager to help their communities, but face insurmountable hurdles such as licensing restrictions, complex requirements to expunge their records, and legal barriers that keep them out of firefighting careers.

 “We call on Governor Newsom and the California Legislature to build on this momentum. Continue removing barriers that prevent formerly incarcerated firefighters from pursuing professional careers in the field they are already trained for and passionate about,” Price says. Let’s ensure that the same people who risked everything to protect us are not locked out of the workforce when they return home.  AB247 is a step in the right direction, but we must continue to craft policy that builds true opportunity for everyone coming home from incarceration.”

To qualify for California’s conservation camps and learn how to fight fires, inmates must have “minimum custody” status, or the lowest-security classification based on their sustained good behavior in prison, ability to follow rules, and participation in rehabilitative programming. They must also meet requirements for physical and mental fitness and have eight years or less remaining on their sentence.  

Some convictions automatically make an inmate ineligible for conservation camp assignment, even if they have minimum-custody status. Disqualifying convictions include rape and other sex offenses, arson, and escape history. Other disqualifiers include active warrants, medical issues, and high-notoriety cases.