These hundreds of goats and sheep munch away fire fuel. How they got hired

Around 400 goats and sheep completed their first mission for Arcadia earlier this month clearing acres of potential fire fuel along Santa Anita Canyon Road — not far from the Eaton Fire burn scar.

Officials said the herd grazed off 21 acres of dense vegetation. The animals were on the job 24/7 beginning July 15 at Wilderness Park and moved west, finishing at Santa Anita Canyon Road on Aug. 6. The goats and sheep cleared steep areas full of dead grass and weeds that naturally grow on the hillside.

“Those are things that catch on fire very easily and quickly," Arcadia Fire Chief Chen Suen said.

Dry vegetation fuel loads are most dangerous in the summertime and annual clearings like this can reduce those risks, Suen added.

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Sheeps graze in a field as part of the Arcadia's goat and sheep grazing project.

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City of Arcadia

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City of Arcadia

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Why now

A grant from the California Fire Foundation helped the Arcadia Fire Department complete its first-ever animal clearing project.

“We were very fortunate. We were awarded the grant which basically covered more than half the cost, and the city picked up the remaining cost,” he said.

Suen said the animals also broke apart soil that had been crystallized by the heat from the Eaton Fire, increasing its ability to absorb water.

“It takes like two years before that kind of natural crystallization breaks down and regrowth happens," he said. "Having the sheep and goats come through does assist with that,”

The last time the Fire Department cleared brush in this area was three years ago through another partnership with the California Conservation Corps, which used ground crews to remove fuel loads.

“We found that the lighter stuff had grown back. We used goats and sheep to clean up the remaining amount that was still on the ground” Suen said.

The Arcadia Fire Department wants to continue using the animals to clear brush because this year was a success. Suen said the department will try to do the clearing annually, if not every other year.

How to apply for a grant

The California Fire Foundation is still accepting applications to fund fire prevention programs like the goat and sheep grazing project. Projects are reviewed and awarded quarterly.

In addition to grants for "vegetation mitigation & fuels reduction," like the one that funded the goats and sheep, applications are considered for:

• Community relief and recovery 
• Recovery planning, public education, and/or community outreach campaigns  
• First responder raining  
• Specialized firefighting equipment (such as PPE replacement)  

More grant information can be found at here.