Sheep have returned to the hills on Carson City's west side in an effort to reduce fire risk in the area.
The Nevada Appeal reports (http://bit.ly/1qABA24) that about 800 ewes with 1,100 lambs will spend four to six weeks eating cheatgrass, a highly flammable weed that grows in the area.
The sheep have been coming to Carson City each spring since 2006 as a cost-effective way to reduce fuel for fires.
U.S. Forest Service Fuels Forester Annabelle Monti says the sheep don't cost any money because the work is equally beneficial for Borda Land & Sheep Co. as it is for Carson City.
The sheep will graze on about 2,000 acres of land that will be a mix of private, city, USFS and Nevada Division of State Lands property.
Information from: Nevada Appeal, http://www.nevadaappeal.com
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