NO KIDDING AROUND
Grazing goats get to work reducing fire fuels on the east side of Paradise
Grazing goats began making their way through the east side of Paradise this week, reducing fire fuels before traditional fire season begins.
Goats began grazing for fuels reduction on March 3 along the West Branch in Paradise to improve forest health and wildfire safety for homeowners and landowners.
The work is being conducted through nonprofit Butte County Fire Safe Council as a fuels reduction and restoration project postCamp Fire. A local herder manages the goats, with a herd of 150-200 starting near the former location of Mountain View Christmas Tree Farm on Friday, to reduce hazardous regrowing vegetation. Taking out the highly invasive and flammable broom weed in the area is one of the major goals for the hungry animals.
Fire Safe Council Executive Director Calli-Jane DeAnda said the vegetation poses a threat in future fires and prepares the project area for replanting of trees in spring.
She added controlled burns using a Cal FireButte County grant are also
being conducted to protect the safety of the herders in more difficult areas of vegetation and during storms. Some residents in the area took out trees themselves ahead of time as “salvage harvests,” leaving many small trees and oak trees which are safety hazards and combined with thick brush make a hazardous landscape.
The herds will be used to remove the hazardous fuels found on the east side of the town of Paradise along Mountain View Dr and adjacent to Shay Lane stretching 1.15 miles, 100 feet wide. The grazing efforts begin alongside various restoration and fuels reduction projects the Butte County Fire Safe Council began in Magalia in the past three months, and in the Camp Fire footprint.
The nonprofit All Hands and Hearts was also onsite
Friday, having been on the ridge for a month helping with fire recovery projects.
Six-year volunteer Larissia
Hall said they came to the area seeing a need after the fire, and began helping clear some of the broom weed and
other invasive species.
The nonprofit has also been removing hazardous trees in Concow since earlier in the winter. Hall said the team will triple in size and perform wildfire mitigation into June, then partner with local organizations to help with home rebuilds in the summer during peak fire season.
Funding for these projects has been provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and My Sierra Woods. The Camp Fire Fuels
Reduction Project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that uses billions of dollars for reducing emissions and improving public health and the environment in disadvantaged communities. The project is also a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution.