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The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has expanded its inmate firefighter program.
In the past, only inmates who committed minor offenses could be firefighters. But four months ago, CDCR started a pilot program allowing some inmates ages 18-26, who are serving more serious charges, to become firefighters.
A three-acre wildland fire at Camp Yuba was sparked by someone who disposed of wood stove ashes, the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office said.
The fire was reported on Wednesday just before 5 p.m. in a meadow near the camp.
Downieville and Sierra City fire departments responded and found fire covering approximately two acres, the sheriff’s office said.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said they arrested a man Thursday night for injuring a dependent adult severely enough to be booked for mayhem.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said that Kyle Talty, 34, of Ben Lomond assaulted the victim causing an injury, and fled from the scene. This all occurred around 9 p.m.
The volunteer fire department in Yreka, California is in desperate need of upgrades. The city is considering a 1% sales tax to put on the November ballot that could help alleviate staffing and facility issues.
Only 5% of firefighters in California are women. In a male-dominated industry, local firefighters Talia Flores and Brook Hoalton, share their empowering career experiences this Women’s History Month.
A series of late-season winter storms has filled reservoirs, boosted snowpack and left forecasters anticipating a late start to California’s wildfire season.
Calaveras County consists of 10 volunteer fire departments:
The CCFCA fire agencies are located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 188 miles east of San Francisco and 135 miles west of Lake Tahoe in California. Found midway on State Highway 49, between Sacramento and Yosemite, Calaveras County links the two towns of the California Gold Country. With an average of 6,000 fire and emergency service calls a year, our 11 fire districts serve a rural area of 45,578 people. We provide fire protection and rescue service to 1,020 square miles of rural area. Our 11 volunteer agencies respond to structure fires, wild land fires, medical emergencies, water rescue, technical rope rescue, hazardous materials spills, public service assistance calls and other emergencies. The Calaveras County Fire Agencies protects an area that is 66% rural wild land, 21% residential, and 3% commercial, including Calaveras Big Trees State Park, a preserve of Giant Sequoia trees, located in the county several miles east of the town of Arnold.
Below is a list of the selection criteria each department requires in order to consider an application for volunteer firefighter. Read the criteria and make sure that you qualify, then click the Apply button to complete your application online.
Although local governments and departments establish different selection criteria, many departments require that volunteers:
Time requirements vary by department. Time commitment will depend on several factors, such as the number of calls the department receives, training requirements, shift versus on-call structure, and community activities in which the department requires volunteers to participate.
Volunteer departments prefer that volunteers have the ability to respond to calls 24 hours a day, although most departments still accept volunteers who are unable to leave work or other obligations to respond to a call.
Typically, departments pay for training and firefighting equipment. Volunteer firefighting is an unpaid position; however, some departments may provide stipends or reimburse volunteers for certain expenses.
