The Conservation Camp Program in California has a history that spans over 55 years. From as far back as 1915, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) utilized road camps to perform conservation work.  During World War II, much of the firefighting workforce utilized by the Division of Forestry (now called the Department of Forestry & Fire Protection—CAL FIRE) was committed to wartime efforts.  The two agencies as well as the California Department of the Youth Authority (CYA) joined forces to establish 41 temporary camps to augment fire fighting resources. 

The first permanent camp was established in 1945 and was called Coursegold Honor Camp.  The term “honor camp” was replaced with “conservation camp” in 1959—a term still used today.  Conservation projects, then as now, consisted of maintenance of state parks, erosion control, forest insect control, construction of fuel breaks, fire hazard reduction along public roads, reforestation of state forests and care and growth of tree seedlings at state nurseries.

From 1945 to present, the Conservation Camp Program has experienced times of expansion and decline.  By 1960, 24 camps were in operation.  Eighteen camps were operated jointly between the CAL FIRE and CDCR with an additional six camps operated in cooperation with CYA.  Of the six operated with CYA, three were permanent camps and three were spike camps, or temporary tent camps set up during fire season.

By 1972, the Conservation Camp Program had changed quite a bit.  The number of camps had grown to 35.  Five camps were operated jointly with CYA, 20 camps were operated with CDCR, two camps were operated by CAL FIRE and San Diego County, one camp was operated by CAL FIRE and Shasta County, six ecology centers were a joint effort between CAL FIRE and the California Ecology Corps Program, and one camp, though operated by CAL FIRE and CDCRR, housed federal inmates.

Today CAL FIRE has 39 conservation camps statewide that house over 4,000 inmates and wards.  These are cooperative efforts between the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and CDCR. CAL FIRE maintains a total of 195 fire crews year-round.  In addition to these 39 camps, the CDCR and Los Angeles County Fire Department (LAC) operate five conservation camps within Los Angeles County.

When not responding to emergencies, the crews are busy with conservation and community service work projects for state, federal and local government agencies.  The citizens of California reap a significant fiscal benefit by housing these low-risk inmates and wards in conservation camps.  Fire crews average in excess of 2.3 million hours of emergency response each year, and 8 million hours on work projects.