Chris Brown is using his platform to not only bring awareness to the deadly fires taking over Los Angeles County but to also call for a ceremony, parade, and reduced sentences for all of the employed firefighters and first responders, as well as nearly 800 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) prisoners deployed.
As we’ve previously shared, there are at least seven fires (both big and small) engulfing different areas of Los Angeles County. The first to make headlines was the brush fire in the Pacific Palisades that broke out on Tuesday (January 7). The Palisades Fire grew quickly and did the most damage, doubling in size within an hour of erupting. This was the fire that led officials to issue one of the first evacuation alerts and implement a state of emergency.
Since the Palisades Fire, there have been several other wildfires erupting, including: the Eaton Fire near Altadena and Pasadena; the Hurst Fire near Sylmar and Santa Clarita; the Lidia Fire in Acton and around Soledad Canyon Road; the Woodley Fire near Woodley and Sepulveda Basin; the Sunset Fire near Runyon Canyon and the Hollywood Hills; and the Kenneth Fire burning in West Hills.
Since the eruption of the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, there have been at least 5 deaths reported between the two and thousands upon thousands of structures and acres damaged and destroyed. Both fires are 0% contained. To help combat the fires and minimize further devastation across Los Angeles County, among the emergency first responders and firefighters, on Thursday (January 9) there were nearly 800 prisoners from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) deployed.
RELATED: 20 Arrested In Los Angeles For Looting Homes In Evacuated Fire Areas
According to ABC News, the incarcerated individuals voluntarily signed up to be a part of the Conservation (FIRE) Camps program and they have been placed with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection crew members (CAL FIRE). According to CDCR, the participating prisoners joining firefighters and first responders in battling the Los Angeles fires are being paid between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, plus $1 an hour when responding to active emergencies.
In a statement, CDCR said, “CDCR Fire Camp Program firefighters are proud to be embedded with CAL FIRE personnel to protect lives, property, and natural resources in Southern California. CDCR, who called their program a source of “crucial support” during emergencies, revealed prisoners have been working “around the clock” with firefighters and first responders to cut fire lines and remove fuel from behind structures, slowing the spread.
RELATED: Help For California Wildfire Victims: Resources For Food And Care Services
It’s currently unclear how many hours the CDCR prisoners have worked since the first fires erupted in Los Angeles. Additionally, CDCR noted that their program operates 35 minimum-security facilities in 25 counties across California, including two camps designated for female prisoners. Additionally, there are over 1,800 prisoners staffed at the camps across California.
Speaking on the fires across Los Angeles County, resident and entertainer Chris Brown took to his Instagram Story on Thursday (January 9) to not only share a theory about the fires, but to also call for a ceremony, parade, and reduced sentences for all of the employed firefighters and first responders, as well as nearly 800 CDCR prisoners deployed.
Chris Brown wrote, “LA … MAKE SURE Y’ALL THROW A CEREMONY OR PARADE FOR THESE FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS AFTER THIS. ALSO, THE PRISONERS WHO WERE OUT THERE RISKING THEY LIVES NEED TIME KNOCKED OFF THEIR SENTENCES… Just saying.”
RELATED: Nurse Shares That Her Parents’ Fire Insurance Was Canceled By Company Before Eaton Fire
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