Fire prevention goats are grazing on vegetation in a west Reno canyon for the second year to reduce wildfire fuels. The goats will graze on about 30 acres of city property in the area of Cashill Boulevard, Patidar Drive, Solari Drive and Olympic Circle.
“This is a continuation of fuel mitigation cleanup of the Rosewood Canyons,” Reno Fire Marshal Tray Palmer said. “By the end of the year we plan on applying pre-emergent along the south facing slopes and use this as a template to reduce hazardous fuel loads in other parts of the city.”
The goats, from High Desert Graziers in nearby Smith Valley, will be eating native grasses and shrubs that serve as fuel for wildfires such as bitterbrush, manzanita, cheatgrass and other non-native grasses and weeds.
Reno Fire Department, NV Energy and Nevada Division of Forestry have teamed up on the project. The ask residents in the area to keep dogs on leash to prevent conflicts with the goats, keep a distance from the goats and to not make loud noises.
Guard dogs will be accompanying the goats. The public can also monitor the grazing, but people are asked not to go near the electric fencing that will contain the herd.
This Is Reno visited the same site in 2021, the first year the goats were brought to graze in the canyon. Watch more below.
Source: City of Reno
