Critics say using incarcerated men and women to fight fires is cheap labour, but supporters say it is rehabilitative.

State prisoners have long been a part of California's firefighting force. Hundreds of them now are deployed in Los Angeles County.

Hundreds of Californian prisoners have been deployed to help tackle the fires devastating the Los Angeles area. With wildfires raging, causing at least 10 deaths, burning down thousands of buildings and prompting evacuation orders for nearly 180,