STATE OF CALIFORNIA —DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION AND DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION

EDMUND G. BROWN JR., GOVERNOR

Conservation Camp Program
Since 1946, the Conservation Camp Program has been a success between the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). The program supports over 200 Inmate Fire Crews that
respond to emergencies such as wildfires, floods, heavy snows, search and rescue
operations, and earthquakes. Due to a reduction in qualifying inmates, the State has
developed a program called County Boarders whereby counties can contract with CDCR
to send their long-term, low-level County offenders to Fire Camps.
The cost of the County Boarders program is $10 per day per inmate ($81 per day per
inmate during firefighting training). Counties sending their eligible inmates to a
Conservation Camp would save over $100 per day per inmate.
What tasks do they perform? When not responding to emergencies, the fire crews are
engaged in conservation and community service work projects for state, federal, and local
government agencies. Each year fire crews respond to more than 3 million hours of
emergency incidents and about 5 million non-emergency hours completing fuel reduction,
resource conservation and community service work projects. CDCR, in cooperation with
CAL FIRE and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, operate 43 adult Conservation
Camps located in 28 counties throughout the state with an inmate capacity of 4,522.
Why is CDCR’s inmate pool reduced? The reduction of eligible inmates is due to Assembly
Bill 109, Realignment, Proposition 47 and other population reduction strategies. The
current Conservation Camp population is 3,900 with a population capacity of 4,522.
Conservation Camp Program
 Emergency Response
 Community Service Work Projects
 Job Experience
 Rehabilitative Services
 Professional Development
Testimonials:
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department has saved approximately $4.3 million in fiscal years
2013-2014 and 2014-2015 to date by contracting with CDCR to supervise and house Los
Angeles County inmates in CDCR/LA County Fire Department camps.
San Diego Sheriff Gore – “The voluntary participation has promoted health, wellness, and
continued motivation for success in participants upon their release as well as providing a
valuable service to the community.”
For more Information contact: Justin Sanders, (916) 651-9180 Justin.Sanders@fire.ca.gov
or Robert Kelsey, (916) 324-0756 Robert.Kelsey@cdcr.ca.gov