Goats were released onto the hillsides of a Buckingham neighborhood to clear thick and dry vegetation.

Photos by Mary O’KEEFE

Goats were released to eat dry vegetation before it fueled fires.

By Mary O’KEEFE

It is (and has been) hot, and the summer seems to show no signs of cooling. After the rains of recent months, the hillsides have been awash with green; however, as the temperatures now rise, that green is turning brown – and that’s a problem.

“We have a lot more fuels,” said Patty Mundo, Glendale Fire Dept. environmental safety specialist. “[Vegetation] is thick and dry. We have had areas here that haven’t burned in decades.”

There are many areas in the City of Glendale that have brown hills. Dry grass can be seen on many hillsides and it is that grass that is most worrisome for firefighters and residents.

Tall dry grass is an extreme fire danger. The grass dries fast and burns quickly. It is this dry vegetation that was the focus of a recent event in the Buckingham area of Glendale.

“This is a natural and eco-friendly way of [abatement],” Mundo said of about 300 goats that were grazing in the very steep terrain in local neighborhoods.

The goats came from the company Ventura Brush Goats.

This is the second time the city has used goats for brush clearing. Last year the goats cleared 15 acres; this year the Glendale City Council approved an expansion and the goats are expected to eat 30 acres of vegetation.

Mundo added that more municipalities have chosen to use goats for clearing vegetation as opposed to other methods, like using gardening equipment. Using equipment like trimmers can actually cause a fire if the machine strikes a stone, which can spark.

“The goats work long hours, can climb steep hills and they fertilize and restore the native plants,” Mundo said.

“Goats eat about 4% of their body weight each day. Without the use of toxic chemicals or fuel intensive machinery, our goats effectively clear land of noxious invasive weeds, often for less money than other methods,” according to the Ventura Brush Goats’ website.

The company states that goats can consume up to 85% of existing vegetation. They also renew and fertilize the soil without disturbing native wildlife.

“Their hooves gently incorporate surface organic matter and the microbes in their gut inoculate the rhizosphere (the narrow zone of soil surrounding the roots of the plant) via their manure. Often this is the most effective and ecological method of restoring fertility,” according to the website.

The goats were very busy climbing and eating the weeds and vegetation throughout the Buckingham neighborhood. On Saturday, they were working for the City of Glendale but earlier four Buckingham neighbors realized how successful the clearing had been in other areas and worked together to hire the goats for their own properties.

Resident Leticia Gonzales said it was really a joint effort between the neighbors and the city. The goats cleared about five acres of property and the neighbors were delighted with the results.

“We used to use the Glendale Youth Alliance,” Gonzales said. However, there were some areas that were difficult for GYA individuals to get to when clearing.

“We contacted Patty [Mundo] and asked, ‘What about clearing brush with goats?’” Gonzales asked.

She said several families came out while the goats were clearing the properties and even helped herd them when needed. The goats were so successful that more families have shown interest in using them to clear brush. At the event on Saturday a woman from La Cañada was speaking with Ventura Brush Goats representatives. She had a horse that was stabled in Sunland, where there was a lot dry vegetation. She was getting information for the stable owners.

Using goats for brush clearance is an option that should be considered and Gonzales encourages everyone who lives near wildfire areas to consider using them.