(a) The wards housed in forestry camps established by the Department of the Youth Authority may be required to labor on the buildings and grounds of the camp, on the making of forest roads for fire prevention or firefighting, on forestation or reforestation of public lands, or on the making of firetrails and firebreaks, or to perform any other work or engage in any studies or activities prescribed or permitted by the department or any officer designated by it.
(b) The wards may be required to labor in fire suppression if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The ward is under the age of 18 years and the parent or guardian of the ward has given permission for that labor by the ward, or the ward is 18 years of age or over.
(2) The ward has received not less than 16 hours of training in forest firefighting and fire safety.
The department may, during declared fire emergencies, allow the Director of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to use the wards for fire suppression efforts outside of the boundaries of California, not to exceed a distance in excess of 25 miles from the California border, along the borders of Oregon, Nevada, or Arizona.
(c) The department may provide, in cooperation with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Conservation or otherwise, for the payment of wages to the wards for work they do while housed on the camps, the sums earned to be paid in reparation, or to the parents or dependents of the ward, or to the ward in any manner and in any proportions as the Department of the Youth Authority directs.
(Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 419, Sec. 2.)