What to expect when your loved one at Bautista is called to a fire (and how it affects visits)

Bautista Conservation Camp exists to support CAL FIRE with trained incarcerated hand crews. These crews handle wildland fire suppression, emergency flood control, and search and rescue operations. That mission takes priority over everything else - which means the camp's daily schedule can shift fast when crews get called out.

The hardest part? Fire crew members can be activated with almost no notice. A visit you've been planning - especially if you're traveling a long distance - can get disrupted at the last minute. Make calling the camp part of your routine before you leave home, not an afterthought.

• ✓ Call Bautista Conservation Camp at (951) 927-3600 before you travel to confirm nothing has changed due to an activation.
• ✓ Email the camp as well if you can, especially if you’re trying to confirm details in writing.
• ✓ If you’re checking close to your departure time, do it again right before you leave - activations can happen on short notice.

During Open Phase, in-person visits run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a maximum of five approved visitors per incarcerated person. If your loved one's crew gets called out, the impact is straightforward but frustrating: the time slot you were counting on disappears. Making up those lost hours is tough since all visits have to fit within that 8-to-4 window and work around the camp's operational demands.

1. Call Bautista to confirm the cancellation - Use (951) 927-3600 to verify whether your visit is canceled or delayed due to an activation.
2. Ask how to rebook for the weekend - In-person visits may be scheduled Monday through Friday for a visit that weekend, so ask what options are still available and what they need from you.

To reschedule, contact the fire camp directly during the week. In-person visits can be arranged Monday through Friday for the following weekend by phone or email. When you call, explain that your original visit was interrupted by an activation and which weekend you're hoping for - staff can tell you what's still available.

Tips Reduce Stress Expenses

• ✓ Confirm the visit the morning you plan to travel - fire crew activations can happen on short notice.
• ✓ Call (951) 927-3600 and email the camp for the most current update before you get on the road.
• ✓ Keep your day flexible so a last-minute change doesn’t automatically turn into a wasted trip.

Traveling a long distance? Have a backup plan that doesn't depend on the crew being at camp. Conservation camps offer hybrid visiting, and video visit requests must be submitted by email. The scheduling window opens at 8 a.m. Saturday and closes at 8 a.m. Monday for visits the following weekend. Set a calendar reminder so you don't miss it.