Inmate firefighter escapes from Northern California camp

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Corrections officials are searching for an inmate who escaped from a minimum security facility in Northern California.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says 32-year-old Nicolas Dunning was discovered missing from the Konocti Conservation Camp Monday morning.

The agency’s website says the camp in Lake County is home to about 95 minimum-security inmates who help fight wildfires. Lt. Charlene Billings says Dunning is assigned as a firefighter but was not working when he disappeared.

He’s the fifth state inmate to escape this month. Three were captured. Authorities are still searching for 27-year-old Justin Franks, who escaped from Folsom State Prison on Dec. 22.