CBS has ordered a drama titled Cal Fire and starring Max Thieriot (SEAL Team), who also co-wrote the pilot and serves as an executive producer, according to Variety. The potential series will be inspired by Thieriot’s experiences being raised in the Northern California fire country.
Cal Fire will center around Bode Donovan, a young convict in Northern California who is hoping to find redemption and a shorter sentence through fighting fires alongside other inmates. This series will mark Thieriot’s first time writing for television. Tony Phelan (Grey’s Anatomy) and Joan Rater (Grey’s Anatomy) also co-wrote the story.
Around 1,600 inmates were used to fight in different fire camps as of May 2021 as part of a California program. After controversy from critics who found that those who participated in the program faced difficulty applying for firefighter positions after release, legislation was passed that give ex-inmates a more efficient path to getting their criminal records expunged and giving them better chances of being hired.