Goats Used for Fire Mitigation Work in Colorado

It’s not a joke, but Goats, by the herd, are being used in Colorado for fire mitigation work. According to KOAA News, the town of Castle Pines, an area south of Denver, Colorado, have been specifically using the goats to help prevent forest fires from spreading. Due to the lack of snow this winter and soaring temperatures in Colorado it is no surprise that forest fires have been popping up all over. Notably, there were two massive fires in the San Juans and one just below Buffalo Mountain in Summit County.

Some people might be asking how do goats help prevent forest fires? The goats eat through the forrest and prefer leaves, while cows and other animals prefer grass. One goat can eat ten pounds of oak leaves and a herd can clear cut areas in no time. The leaves serve as fuel for the fire also help spread the fire faster than grass or other vegetation.

Fire mitigation provides a very important first and last line of defense in trying to control a wildfire. Mitigation work means altering the surrounding forest vegetation in a preemptive measure to slow the pace of or deter the wildfire from spreading towards nearby property.