Can prisoners help prevent forest fires?

While watching the news regarding the forest fires out West, I couldn't help but wonder if it would help if all the dry underbrush had been cleared before the fires started.

It's almost normal for the West Coast, especially California, to have these fires every year. Why can't nonviolent prisoners be taken out daily to remove the dead underbrush before fires start?

Even when I pass forest preserves with dead plants and trees here in Cook County, where fires are uncommon, I always comment to my husband as to why they aren't being cleared by nonviolent prisoners.

We house and feed them, so why can't they be doing something constructive? Maybe if they had to actually work while being in jail, it would make coming back once they're out undesirable.

Janet Lumm

Schaumburg