They're baaaack: Two cities bring in goats, sheep to feast on tall grass before wildfires do
The four-legged firefighters and landscapers are credited with saving some condos surrounded by fire last summer.
The four-legged firefighters and landscapers are credited with saving some condos surrounded by fire last summer.
The four-legged firefighters and landscapers are credited with saving some condos surrounded by fire last summer.
They're baaaack.
All the winter rain has weeds and grass growing like crazy in the California communities of Sacramento and West Sacramento, creating fuel for fires.
Those two cities have called in crews to cut it down, but they aren't your typical grass-cutting crew.
The city of Sacramento welcomes 800 sheep again this spring to feast on the overgrown fields before grassfires do.
It's part of the Department of Youth, Parks and Community Enrichment's grazing program, now in its second year.
"This is a more natural and green means of controlling undeveloped areas of vegetation versus having to bring in more heavy machinery which can be a hazard and can spark a fire," Shawn Aylesworth, city of Sacramento Park maintenance manager, said.
The city of West Sacramento has been using goats for grazing since 2016.
"They go around to hard-to-reach areas along river banks, rocky fields where mowers can't get," said Paul Hosley, a West Sacramento spokesperson. "They chomp down on the grass."
Nearly 600 goats are chewing about two to three acres a day and will be in West Sacramento for the next six weeks.
The four-legged firefighters are credited with saving some condos surrounded by fire last summer.
"If it weren't for goats that passed through there earlier, our fire chief said the condos near where the fire broke out would have been in a lot more danger than they were," Hosley said.
The cities said they need partnerships with the ranchers to keep the fires away.
Hosley said the goats are so popular, the city created a hashtag, #westsacgoats.
They plan to sell merchandise next year.
The goats will be grazing along this from April 29 to May 3. It will be closed.
