SAN DIEGO -- Some 40 goats were unleashed on a Tierrasanta hillside to test their ability to clear the type of brush that can fuel fires, 10News reported.
A goat-herding company put the goats on a third of an acre near Mission Trails Regional Park Friday as a pilot project, Jan Elby of the Tierrasanta Maintenance Assessment District said.Ranchito Tivo Boer Goats, based in Chino, is herding the goats for free and will probably finish the work by Monday. The Tierrasanta district estimates that the goats can clear as much land as a human crew at less than half the cost."There are houses here with 15 feet of brush and these goats will get it down to 4 feet. I move the electrical fence around them and when they get down to 4 feet, I move them to another location," goat farmer George Gonzales said. In the aftermath of October's wildfires, local government and firefighting agencies are exploring policies and techniques to better protect lives. By munching on vegetation, the goats reduce brush and create a buffer zone around homes to weaken an oncoming fire's intensity. The city of San Diego requires 100 feet of cleared land around all residences. San Diego's use of goats to reduce brush for fire protection appears to be a first in the county, but not in California. Alameda and Contra Costa counties have employed the animals as a tool for fire protection since 1983. The cities of Laguna Beach, Malibu and Glendale also use the animals.
Goats Munch On Dry Brush To Prevent Fires
