Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Board of Supervisors Chair Lindsey Horvath have sent an open letter to Governor Gavin Newsom urging him to continue funding the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations hand crews who currently help the Los Angeles County Fire Department tackle wildland fires.

The letter comes on the heels of the Governor’s proposed revised budget cuts, which would include the elimination of five fire camps currently hosted in Los Angeles County that total 205 people.

“As we’ve seen over the last few weeks, the fires in Los Angeles County are fast moving and destructive, putting people and property in danger,” Barger said. “It’s crucial that these hand crews continue to lend their support to our local firefighting efforts to ensure the safety of our fire-prone communities. Removing these teams not only puts our residents and region in harm’s way, but robs these crews of the opportunity to rebuild and rehabilitate their lives.”

In the letter, the Supervisors cite that removing the crews would result in “slower response times and greater damage and loss in the county.”

Read the entire letter here.