Travis Barker recently met with a group of incarcerated firefighters that are working to extinguish the wildfires that are burning throughout Los Angeles.
Barker shared a picture with a group of firefighters on his Instagram Story and captioned it with a heartfelt message that thanked them for their help.
“These guys are heroes. They are risking their lives to serve people. Save people. Help people. And becoming men in the process,” he wrote.
“So much love and respect to @calfire and @scottbudnick1. I love the awareness that the anti-recidivism coalition is bringing to the incarcerated guys working these fires,” added Barker. “A lot of them came from the juvenile system and this program gives them the ability for real change and to make a difference. To see the humanity in all of them was amazing.”
A Blink 182 fanpage on Instagram posted a video of the moment, seemingly recorded by someone at the event. In it, Barker converses with the firefighters as they listen and take a breather before returning to quell the fires.
Incarcerated inmates have been able to be firefighters for these fires due to the Conservation (Fire) Camp Program. Jointly operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, it has 35 fire camps in 25 counties throughout California where inmates can volunteer.
“CDCR Fire Camp Program firefighters are proud to be embedded with CAL FIRE personnel to protect lives, property, and natural resources in Southern California,” a rep for the program told Complex in an email recently. “As of Thursday, 783 Fire Camp firefighters have been working around the clock cutting fire lines and removing fuel from behind structures to slow fire spread, including 88 support staff.”
Barker’s appreciation for these incarcerated firefighters may stem from the devastating impact the fires have had on people close to him. Both his son and daughter shared earlier this month that they evacuated their homes due to the wildfires. “Just evacuated from my home due to wild fires in Los Angeles, please be safe !!” wrote Alabama Barker. “They are saying the fires are spreading football field amounts in seconds.”
