How do you Mitigate Wildfire? …Goats.

Yes, goats…300 goats!  A new… and unique…method to help reduce the spread of wildfire has gained our attention.  Recently, a Castle Pines homeowners association enlisted the services of a herd of 300 goats to help mitigate the spread of wildfire in its community.  The goats eat and remove about one acre of tall grass and brush from the community per day and it appears residents are so far happy with the results.

According to an article published by the Denver Channel 7 News, this creative approach to fire mitigation is part of a local high school’s scientific study which strives to find ways to protect communities from fire while considering the long term impacts on the ecosystem. While the study is just getting underway, it is gaining popularity and the herd of goats is already booked to help out other neighboring HOAs.

For general information on fire mitigation be sure to contact your local fire department or visit your county’s website. You may also check out Colorado State’s Forrest Service guide for a quick reference about creating a defensible space to protect your home.