In Pasadena, a 600-goat herd is taking a bite out of fire fuel

On the steep, brush-covered slopes of the Arroyo Seco, home to the Rose Bowl, a new kind of wildfire defense has arrived — on cloven hooves.

Starting this morning, more than 600 goats are being deployed across roughly 100 acres to help kick off Earth Day celebrations in the city.

Over the next six to eight weeks, they’ll reduce fire risk by munching through invasive vegetation like mustard that can quickly turn into dangerous fuel.

The pilot program, led by One Arroyo Foundation with city backing, combines an ancient technique with urgency around climate change, which the Eaton Fire that devastated parts of Pasadena bordering Altadena has only heightened.

“It’s become more evident that we need to do everything that we can to make sure that we’re adding wildfire resiliency to the way we manage this place,” said Daniel Rossman, executive director of the foundation.

The Arroyo sits within a high-severity fire zone, according to state maps, and acts as a natural corridor for wind, meaning a fire could spread rapidly if conditions align, Rossman said.

The G.O.A.T.'s

Pasadena is the latest Southern California city where goats are eating the fuel load, joining Arcadia, Glendale and Santa Clarita.

Unlike traditional brush clearance methods, which often rely on gas-powered equipment, goats offer a low-emissions alternative.

“You don’t need fossil fuels to run goats,” Rossman said. “They run on their own fuel, which is the brush that they eat.”

The grazers also shine where humans and machinery struggle on the Arroyo’s steep, uneven terrain.

“The goats can go to places that are very difficult for humans to get to with heavy equipment,” Rossman said. “Also, as they go up those hills, they're not degrading them as an adult [human] would by stepping on them with just two feet.”

Other cities like Arcadia have also hired goats to graze on fuel loads.

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City of Arcadia, CA

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City of Arcadia, CA

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While on assignment, the animals owned by Capra Environmental Services, Corp., will graze day and night in the Arroyo, watched over by a herding dog and a herder who will live in a trailer on-site.

“The goats do not have a strong labor union,” Rossman said, tongue firmly in cheek. “They work 24 hours a day. But on the other hand, they take naps whenever they feel like it.”

One Arroyo is covering the roughly $85,000 cost and has launched a “Goat Fund Me” campaign to invite public support. The nonprofit will be posting about the goats' whereabouts on its Instagram so locals can come watch the animals at work.

Just be aware that there will be temporary electric fencing set up to keep the goats from wandering into nearby homes and businesses. And don’t try to pet the goats.

“These goats are generally grumpy,” Rossman said. The animals that can stand humans will be at a petting zoo in Saturday’s Earth Day event by the Rose Bowl's Aquatic Center.

A test run

The hope is that the goat grazers will demonstrate success so that city officials may adopt the effort long-term.

How to know if it’s working?

Rossman said the first test is to see how well goats clear the invasive species and make room for the native plants.

“We want to get to that sweet spot where they chew things down and that then allows these perennial natives that stay green year-round to come back and compete,” Rossman said.

The timing of the goat deployment close to the last of the winter rains was intentional. Rossman said rain spurs rapid plant growth, especially invasive species that then dry out and turn into “flash fuels” by summer.

Removing that growth before peak fire season, he said, is key to protecting an “environmental treasure” that even more locals have turned to since the Eaton Fire.

“Many people who maybe used to hike Eaton Canyon are coming to the Arroyo and enjoying this place to connect with nature and to connect with themselves and restore,” Rossman said.