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California Approves Higher Wage for Prisoner Firefighters (But Still Underpays)

Loaded on Nov. 1, 2025 published in Prison Legal News November, 2025, page 57
Filed under: Work Release, Prison Labor, Injury -- Misc., Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Good Time. Location: California.

On October 13, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed off on a raise for incarcerated firefighters, bringing their pay rate up to $7.25 an hour, the federal minimum wage. Before the bill (AB 247) became law, the firefighters only earned between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, Cal Matters reported. The wage hike came after the firefighting crews received widespread praise for their role in battling the wave of wildfires that struck Southern California in January of this year.

California has long relied on prisoners to provide support in responding to emergencies, including wildfires and floods. More than 1,800 of the firefighters live in year-round minimum security “fire camps” that are located across the state. Unlike other forms of prison labor in California, which were described by an official task force as “state-sanctioned involuntary servitude,” firefighting assignments are voluntary and often sought-after.

In addition to AB 247, Newsom signed several other bills that improve conditions for the firefighters, including a measure authorizing a $50,000 death benefit and new regulations around resentencing referrals. Although AB 247 marks a significant improvement, the final $7.25 rate was agreed upon after an earlier, failed version of the bill called for $19 an hour, an amount that still falls short of the $28 an hour the average non-incarcerated firefighter earns in California, according to ZipRecruiter.  

 

Additional source: Politico

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