On this page of our website, we attempt to answer some of the frequently asked questions we receive about the Camp Program and the policies that surround the use of conservation camp crews.

Can you come to my property and cut the brush to enhance our fire safety?

 The answer to this question depends on who is doing the asking. If you are a tax-supported entity (federal, state, or local government) then yes, we can perform a fuel reduction project on the public property. You see the camp program was designed to offer services to tax-supported entities in a cost avoidance effort to reduce the cost of these types of projects that ultimately would have to be absorbed by the taxpayers.  Intermountain Camp crews, alone, have saved the taxpayers $414,840 for the 55,312 hours completed in work projects.  Fire crews average in excess of eight million hours of labor on work projects for CAL FIRE and other federal, state, and local agencies each year. 

            If you are a private party making the request, then unfortunately the answer is no, unless the project is part of a CAL FIRE approved Vegetation Management Program Fuel Reduction Project that crosses or incorporates private lands within the project boundaries. In addition an approved Community Fire Safe Council project may include the use of our crews within the scope and criteria established by the stakeholders. This type of project still requires a tax-supported entity to accept the project and request the use of our crews. We would be working for them during our involvement on the project.

Can we give the Inmate Fire Crews soda and cookies in an effort to thank them for their work along our roads and within our communities?

Yes, providing you discuss your wish with the CDCR Camp Commander, or one of his staff, first. Be prepared for him to ask you if you have 90 (our total inmate population) of whatever it is you wish to provide. He will also insist that you deliver the items to camp where they will be searched prior to distribution. Aside from the obvious security concerns, we need to avoid singling out one crew for a specific project when all of the crews are providing a service to the community.  Some projects may be taking place in more remote areas and not as noticeable. In addition those persons assigned to the support roles inside the camp deserve recognition as well. Finally, and unfortunately, history tells us that disparate treatment amongst the inmate population, no matter how trivial, usually leads to problems amongst the population and has the potential to elicit gratuities from our project stakeholders, which is not allowed.

We appreciate the thought and certainly do not want to exclude the opportunity, please check with CDCR first. While sodas and cookies are nice, we feel a letter of appreciation to as many of our elected officials as you can contact would actually serve the program better in the long run. We can provide the contact information to you if you do not have it.

Can I pick up the firewood you leave alongside the road on one of your brushing projects?

Well to be exact, they are not “our” brushing projects (we work for stakeholders) therefore it is not our wood, unless arrangements have been made with the project stakeholder. Often, in lieu of, or as part of, our reimbursement, we receive the wood. The wood is used here at camp to help offset our heating costs in some of our buildings utilizing wood stoves. This again is a cost-avoidance effort to the taxpayer. In order for any of the staff to obtain any wood left at a project site they would have to go through the same permit process as anyone else.

In addition, we do not “cut firewood” so as to avoid a conflict with private industry. We leave any wood along the road cut to a 4’ length in order to avoid this allegation. Any wood removed from a project requires the approval of the project stakeholder, which is usually accomplished through a permit process. You can never pick up any wood while the crew is still working at the site. You must wait until we leave for the day prior to accessing the area. You can not pick up any wood in a construction area or while there is a Cal/Trans lane control operation in place. 

If you have a question you would like answered, please send us an email.