How Goats Aid in Wildfire Prevention

“The buildup of dead vegetation in parkland and wilderness areas, along with the effects of climate change, has accelerated the trend of devastating wildfires in California. In 2021, the state lost more than two million acres of wilderness to wildfire, and megablazes fires that burn more than 100,000 acres are becoming increasingly common.” As Chris Iovenko reports in National Geographic, Californians are increasingly turning to a time-tested method of fire management.

“Prior to fire seasons in the past, land managers traditionally relied on herbicide and human labor to thin plants and brush to reduce fuel load, the amount of flammable material that can burn in a fire. But access to mountain terrain in southern California can be challenging, and such traditional clearing practices can leave behind seeds that germinate the next year.” Enter goats.

“Deploying goats to clear land of vegetation is an age-old practice, but as wildfires worsen worldwide, places as diverse as Greece, Australia, and other parts of the U.S., such as Arizona and Colorado are embracing the herbivores as important tools for wildfire prevention.” Iovenko describes how grazing goats are deployed by California companies to manage flammable material. While research from California is scarce, studies from Arizona, Australia, and Greece show that goats can be an effective tool against wildfires.