[Aktungbby]

The McKinney Fire is now 95% contained, having destroyed 98 square miles, 30, 000 game-fish from ash runoff, the hamlet of Klamath River and four victims, all in their 70's; identified thru dental records. One in particular was Kathleen Shoopman who for decades had served faithfully in fire watchtowers, devoted giving advance warning against such hazards. An article in today's paper points up an issue in post 200 of this thread. California's inmate training program, at $180,000 per trainee, is still failing to provide the manpower for fighting the the infernos. Their criminal record curtails their employment prospects!!? As a result, the US Forest Service is short 1200 smoke-eaters, 500 of them in California and the Dept of the Interior is short 450, 150 of them in California. Early release due to prison Covid epidemic threat is also a factor in this manpower shortage. Legislators are working on bills to expunge records of trainees to ease their post-incarceraton employment issues-we need these guys on the front line choppin' trees, cuttin' brush and setting backfires to combat the flames. This season has 1670 inmates in fire camps; down 40% from 2019. The Correction Dept. was budgeted for 152 crews but fielded just 51, each with 15-18 firefighters.