
As wildfires remain to endanger communities in Los Angeles Area, over 1,000 detainees are functioning as firemens to assist snuff out the blazes, according to the California Division of Corrections and Rehab.
Sal Almanza is just one of those prisoners. He showed to ABC Information Live what it resembles fighting the fires, and what he has actually gained from this experience.
” Seeing the destruction, individuals shedding their homes and the influence on family members in the Los Angeles location has actually simply been terrible to see,” Almanza stated. “Yet the kindness, love and outpour from the neighborhood has actually truly been motivating and boosting for me and the individuals.”

Prisoner firemens dig a control line as they fight the Palisades Fire on Jan. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Photos
Inmates like Almanza offered for the Preservation (Fire) Camps Program, and is installed with Cal Fire staff participants. The program runs 35 fire camps, extending 25 areas in The golden state.
Those that join the program gain in between $5.80 and $10.24 daily, plus $1 an hour when reacting to energetic emergency situations, according to the CDCR. Detainees combating the Los Angeles fires like Almanza are functioning 24-hour changes, making $26.90 daily.
Prisoners additionally obtain 2 added day of rests their sentence for every single someday they offer on the fire staff. Almanza is presently up for parole in August 2026.
Despite the advantages, Almanza stated his child back home inspires him one of the most while fighting these fires.
” Offering something back to the neighborhood and doing something favorable while I’m doing this sentence was one of the most vital for me [and] having my child having the ability to look and see his daddy doing something excellent,” Almanza stated.
Almanza was signed up with by correctional policeman Lt. Manny Nunez, that informed ABC Information the program offers prisoners the devices and sources they require for a clean slate.
” We’re all human, everyone slips up,” Nunez stated. “And there must be a course momentarily opportunity. And this program that we have, the camp program, it provides simply that.”

Sal Almanza, a prisoner firemen fighting the LA fires, is seen on video camera with a correctional policeman Lieutenant Manny Nunez.
ABC Information
Nunez stated the incarcerated firemens are supplied with training, devices and workers to manage them while “they’re out right here doing truly important job that requires to be done.”
” I believe this program offers gents like Sal a feeling of objective that they may not have actually had previously.” Nunez stated. “It provides really hope that they can desire be an individual that they never ever understood they were which they have prospective past what they may have formerly achieved themselves.”
A minimum of 27 individuals have actually passed away from the California wildfires, with 18 individuals still missing out on. The Palisades Fire, situated in the Pacific Palisades, has actually damaged regarding 5,000 frameworks and goes to 31% control. The Eaton Fire, north of Pasadena, additionally remains to melt, shedding over 14,000 acres, and is 65% included.
” Greetings America” began its “SoCal Solid” (#SoCalStrong) protection on Friday, highlighting the affected areas and offering fundraising opportunities for targets of the fires. The protection will certainly proceed throughout several ABC Information programs and systems.
ABC Information’ Tesfaye Negussie added to this record.