Live streaming sensation Hasan Piker has taken to interviewing inmates who are helping fight LA’s wildfire crisis.
Taking to X, Piker shared his motivation behind the Twitch interviews. “I choose to use my platform this way because there are countless everyday people who slipped through society’s cracks without any help,” he said. “We push them away and strip them of their humanity. Everyone’s doing what they can to survive. Getting people back on their feet cuts down on repeat offenses.”
His X-viral interviews are making waves. One captured conversation had an inmate comparing firefighting to life behind bars.
“This beats prison life hands down. Inside, you witness stabbings, beatings, and guards treating us like dirt. But here, we’re respected as people. Sure, the pay’s low, but we’ve got work. Plus, the public shows us mad love – something we missed out on while growing up,” the inmate shared.
During another talk, Piker heard one inmate’s raw take on adjusting to freedom after years locked away.
“Even though it was just 12 or 13 years, I’m heading home in a few weeks,” the guy opened up. “Going from a tiny cell to all this – it hits you like a brick wall.
“The good thing is you start getting used to hanging with regular folks like you all again,” he added. “But I feel like an outsider because prison’s got such a grip on my identity – that’s who they shaped me to be.”
In one powerful exchange, Piker brought up the stark pay gap with private firefighters earning $7k daily.
“Man, that’s wild. Pretty hard to wrap your head around,” the inmate reflected. “But we’re getting something priceless – another shot at life. This program’s just getting started. Most of us messed up before our brains were even fully grown – you know, before 25. This is our chance to start over. Looking at it now, it’s a gift.”
These brave inmates battle blazes through the Conservation (Fire) Camp Program. The initiative, run together by Cal Fire and LA County Fire Department, lets prisoners volunteer at 35 fire camps spread across 25 California counties. Here, they get hands-on training both in classrooms and out in the field.
