The California Department of Forestry has suspended a juvenile inmate firefighting program after two recent attacks on CDF fire captains.
The CDF and the California Youth Authority agreed to a "safety and security stand down" while they evaluate the program's screening process, security and procedures said CDF spokeswoman Karen Terrill.
"All of this is with the goal of getting these crews back in business as soon as possible," Terrill said.
The suspension affects 265 "wards" ages 18-25 who work at four youth conservation camps in northern California, where they participate in wildland firefighting and other conservation work.
Terrill could not estimate how long the suspension might last, but hoped it would be a matter of days.
"These are non-violent offenders and they covet this assignment," she said. "We realize the good ones are getting punished because of the acts of a very few."
The recent attacks do not appear to be related, but both occurred at the Mt. Bullion Youth Conservation Camp in Mariposa, California said CYA spokesman George Kostyrko.
On June 7, an 18-year-old ward from Ventura County hit a CDF fire captain in the face, causing an injury near his eye that required four stitches. The ward is now serving 32 months in prison for the assault.
On July 12, a 19-year-old ward from LA County hit another fire captain in the face, causing minor injuries. He will be serving 24 months in prison.
"These are the only two cases in recent history," Kostyrko said. The last attack was in 1979 when a ward struck a captain on the arm with a tool.
The other youth conservation camps under firefighting suspension are the Ben Lomond Youth Conservation Camp in Santa Cruz County, Washington Ridge in Nevada County and Pine Grove in Amador County.
Officials at both the CDF and the CYA said that they are working to improve safety for fire captains and the public, but that inmate attacks "extraordinarily rare."
Kostyrko stressed that this youth program is separate from the California Department of Corrections inmate firefighting program, which is not affected by the suspension.
Terrill said the CDF employs a total of about 4,000 inmates and wards statewide, and said they have not experienced any other attacks from a CYA or CDC inmate firefighter since the 1970s.
"The program has worked for decades and it's win-win," Terrill said. "The inmates get gratifying work, and the taxpayers save billions."
