Goats Chomp Up Fire Fuel In Wickenburg
POSTED: 9:36 pm MST March 12,
2009
UPDATED: 3:02 pm MST March 13,
2009
WICKENBURG, Ariz. -- About 70 goats are roaming through the Nature Conservancy's Hassayampa River Preserve in Wickenburg this month, chewing up vegetation that could fuel forest fires this summer.Tanya Baker, who lives in Dewey, Ariz., owns the goats. They are one of only a couple animals that will eat explosive brush fuels like the grass and weeds found in the preserve, according to Baker."They're one of the very few animals that are browsers, that will eat multiple types of vegetation," Baker said.The goats can chew up about a quarter of an acre a day. Baker uses an electric fence to make sure the goats graze in the areas that will most benefit fire officials. The fences also serve as a method of keeping predators out.Wickenburg Fire Chief Ed Temoroski said he initially thought the idea of goats eating up fuel to stop the spread of forest fires was "crazy," but now supports it."It's a safety factor because we know we're assured of having fire breaks in this area," Temorowski said.The Hassayampa River Preserve has had a history of wildfires in the past, Temorowski said. The work of the goats will allow Temorowski's firefighters a much better opportunity to fight a forest fire this summer, if it occurs.He added that using goats to clear out vegetation is much more eco-friendly than using machines to do the same job. Firefighters have also used controlled burns to clear out vegetation in the past.Baker lives on-site with the goats while they spend the month eating. Once they are done at the preserve, the goats will go to Prescott for another job. You can read more about Baker's goats here.
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