The 2021-22 Budget: Department of Forestry and Fire Protection [Publication Details]

Feb 4, 2021 - This publication discusses the Governor's 2021-22 January budget proposals for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, including $143 million for hand crews, $8 million for defensible space inspectors, and $54 million for various capital outlay projects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/4343

The 2026-27 Budget: Framework for Approaching the Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture Budget

Feb 10, 2026 - California Conservation Corps (CCC): Hand Crew Resources. CCC proposes $11.7  million General Fund and 49 positions in 2026 ‑27 (as well as a similar amount ongoing) for its hand crews to operate on a daily, year ‑round schedule consistent with CalFire ’s hand crew requirements.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5116

Frequently Asked Questions About Wildfires in California

Jan 28, 2025 - CalFire —Five New Hand Crews.  $47  million in 2024 ‑25 and $45  million and 234 positions ongoing thereafter to establish five new permanent CalFire hand crews. (These hand crews were funded on a temporary basis in 2023.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4952

The 2022-23 California Spending Plan: Resources and Environmental Protection

Oct 10, 2022 - Enhancing and expanding fire crews: Task Force Rattlesnake CMD $40  million GF in 2022 ‑23 and $41  million GF annually thereafter and 15  State Active Duty positions to convert 13  seasonal CMD hand crews to 14 year ‑round hand  crews.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4633

The 2023-24 Budget: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Major Capital Outlay Proposals

Feb 21, 2023 - Background Conservation Camps Provide a Key Source of Hand Crews. Hand crews support fire response by constructing fire lines, assisting fire engine crews with the deployment of fire hoses over long distances, providing logistical operational support, and extinguishing hotspots to help contain fires.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4693

The 2018-19 Budget: Resources and Environmental Protection

Feb 14, 2018 - Each camp costs roughly $2. 4  m illion to operate annually, or about half a million dollars per hand crew. Inmates on hand crews receive basic training that consists of a week of classroom training and a week of field training that covers wildland fire safety and attack, hand tool use, teamwork, and crew expectations.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3747

Options for Creating a Forestry Management Training Center

Jan 4, 2022 - This includes serving on hand crews, which help fight fires by performing tasks such as cutting “fire lines ” —gaps where all fire fuel and vegetation is removed —with chain saws and hand tools. They also mitigate the severity of wildfires by conducting vegetation management projects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4487

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2025 - There are a handful of differences in our estimates, but these changes are small enough on net that they do not substantively change our assessment of the budget condition. Specifically, the administration has higher revenue estimates than our office, but these are mostly offset by their higher spending estimates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

The 2022-23 Budget: Wildfire Response Proposals

Jan 28, 2022 - We  find the proposed expansion of hand crew capacity in the state is likely merited given the recent declines in inmate crews and the importance these crews play in the state ’s response and resilience strategies.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4504

Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Transportation

Dec 21, 2018 - On the one hand, the GHG reduction benefits estimated may be understated because they assume that those benefits are achieved for only the first couple of years of the vehicle ’s life, rather than for the full life of the vehicle.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3912