California Inmate Fire Crews Hit by Virus as Season Heats Up (2)

Less than half of the inmate crews that California relies on to fight wildfires across the state are available for deployment due to the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday.

Newsom (D) said 94 of 192 crews from the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) can respond to fires. He said he had ordered the state fire agency to supplement those crews with an additional 858 seasonal firefighters through October.

“We are trying to be as prepared and vigilant as possible,” he said during a noon briefing with reporters.

Corrections inmates have worked fire lines for decades. CDCR, ...