The Los Angeles County wildfires have claimed 10 lives and forced another 180,000 residents to evacuate. Despite the devastation, the situation could be far worse if not for the efforts of firefighters and inmate crews, who, according to Chris Brown, deserve their sentences reduced.
“LA, make sure y’all throw a ceremony or parade for these firefighters and first responders after this,” the singer penned on his Instagram Stories on Thursday (Jan. 9). He added, “Also, the prisoners who were out there risking [their] lives need time [knocked] off their sentences. Just saying.”
To date, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has deployed 783 prison inmates to aid in containing the wildfires. The incarcerated participants volunteer through the Conservation (Fire) Camps Program, which spans 35 camps across 25 counties in California. According to CBS News, they assist by “cutting fire lines and removing fuel from behind structures to help slow fires’ spread.” Other duties include cooking, operating the water treatment facilities and doing laundry.
In an earlier Instagram post, Brown claimed that someone was “starting these fires,” a theory that may have some truth to it. Los Angeles authorities arrested a man in Woodland Hills following reports of someone attempting to ignite a blaze. The suspect, whose identity hasn’t been released, was allegedly armed with a “propane tank or a flamethrower.”
A Los Angeles resident himself, the “No Guidance” artist didn’t share whether he was affected by the fires, although plenty of others have. Earlier that day, Jhené Aiko revealed that she and her children’s home “burned to the ground” with all their things inside.
“Me and my children’s home is gone,” she said. “Lord have mercy. Thankful we still have each other. Starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy.” Aiko assured that she and her kids are safe. Kid Cudi was also forced to evacuate, while “MUSHROOM CHOCOLATE” hitmaker QUIN shared footage of her charred residence.
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