In an effort to reduce the risk of wildfire risk in Rosewood Canyon, the Reno Fire Department, NV Energy, and the Nevada Division of Forestry are teaming up to use goats as fire mitigation tools.
On June 5, goats from High Desert Graziers from Smith Valley started to graze approximately 16 acres of property owned by the Skyline View and Caughlin Homeowners Association along Skyline View Drive and Hemlock Way.
The goats also will graze on 30 acres of City owned property between Cashill Blvd, Patidar Drive, Solari Drive, and Olympic Circle. A map of where the grazing is taking place can be found below.
“Rosewood Canyons is prone to fire,” said Reno Fire Marshal Tray Palmer. “We saw it with the Caughlin Fire and we saw it again with the Pinehaven Fire. Sometimes we have to think outside of the box with fire mitigation and in this case, it’s goats.”
The goats used in this project are Spanish goats and are between the ages of one and three years old. This type of Spanish goat, from the Kensing lineage, are bred to consume all types of vegetation in open and varied terrain. As such, this type of grazing has no known negative impacts on the goats.
“Targeted grazing is an environmentally sound and sustainable option for managing noxious weeds and flammable vegetation,” said Sean Gephart, a Forester with the Nevada Division of Forestry. “We are proud to partner with the Reno Fire Department and NV Energy in this effort.”
“This is just one of the many wildfire mitigation efforts that NV Energy is using across its service territory to prevent wildfires and is part of NV Energy’s overall Natural Disaster Protection Plan,” said Mark Regan, NV Energy Fire Chief. “These goats will clear the vegetation under and around our power lines in rugged terrain that would be challenging for crews to navigate and eliminates the need for crews to use machinery to clear brush during wildfire season.”
Residents living along Solari Drive, Olympic Circle, and Patida Drive, and people recreating near the grazing goats are asked to:
- Keep dogs on a leash or at home during the grazing to avoid potential conflicts
- Maintain a distance from the goats
- Do not make loud noises
This project is made possible by funding assistance from Senate Bill 508, a bill that makes allocations to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for wildfire prevention, restoration and long-term planning.
The Rosewood Canyon Hazardous Fuels Mitigation Plan is also funded by the 2019 State Fire Assistance Wildland Urban Interface Grant.
People who live in the area should contact the Reno Fire Department’s Division of Fire Prevention at (775) 334-2300 with any questions.
(City of Reno)
