200 Hungry Goats Storm Glendale Hills to Fight Wildfires

A herd of 200 hungry goats charged down a trailer ramp and stormed a steep hillside in Glendale, chomping through dry brush to protect homes from wildfire.

The Glendale Fire Department shared the video on October 20, showing the goats bounding out of a livestock trailer and spreading out across the slopes above Oakmont Country Club. Behind temporary fencing, the animals munch their way through tall dry grass and shrubs, with homes and mountains in the distance.

“200 goats are taking over the hills above Oakmont Country Club!” the fire department said. For the fifth year in a row, the city is using grazing goats to cut wildfire fuel in strategic spots within Very High Fire Hazard Zones.

This is the second deployment this year, following brush-clearing work in April. The department said goats are a valuable wildfire mitigation tool because they can navigate steep, challenging terrain while clearing grasses, weeds and other vegetation that can help fire spread.