ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Roseville announced goats are back and will be in various areas throughout the city to help with open space management.
Eric Dexter is the Parks, Recreation & Libraries Superintendent for Roseville and oversees open space maintenance. He said the goats help manage about 1,700 acres of the nearly 4,000 acres of open space in the city and preserve areas.
The goats will be in Roseville from April until October and assist in several ways, including helping reduce potential fire load.
Dexter said the goats are starting on the western side of Roseville with a goal of finishing firebreak areas by July 1.
"Next we're going to... the eastern side of the city — the areas where it's tighter corridors to allow (goats) to get in those firebreak areas in those tighter areas where there's homes and there's potential for fire hazard," Dexter said.
Jason Rizzi, a division chief with the Roseville Fire Department, said that around April is when the annual weed abatement process begins. Weed abatement is the process of removing dry grass or brush that poses a potential fire hazard to structures.
"The goats are a huge help for us and some of our, you know, the Miner's Ravine area where you have creek beds and lots of oak trees, they get a lot of that fuel that we don't want to get with mechanical means and personnel," Rizzi said.
Rizzi said keeping Roseville safe in the summer starts with clearing 30 feet of vegetation from any combustible structure, which could be anything from a fence to a building.
Where can I visit the goats?
Dexter said the goats are starting by Blue Oaks Boulevard and Fiddyment Road, but will be moving around the city over the next few weeks. Here is a map of where the herds are located.
Tips for visiting the goats
- There are electric fences surrounding the goats, so make sure not to touch them
- A herder and a dog will be at the site with each of the herds
- Don't throw food over the fence — the goats are eating the dry grass and brush and there have been instances where goats have knocked over the fence trying to get the food
Rizzi said with weed abatement it's important that residents don't cut vegetation when it's hot, which could increase the potential for fires. He also said the city doesn't cut all the open spaces.
"There's a lot of areas that are habitat that are not near a combustible structure, so those areas will be left natural and you won't see... the grass won't be completely cut," Rizzi said.
Dexter said that for open space management, the goat's assistance with vegetation control goes way past July and also includes thatch management and controlling some invasive plants.
The goat grazing plan is funded through the Community Facilities Districts or Lighting & Landscape Districts. Other areas that don't have that type of funding are supported through Roseville's General Fund.
Wildfire Preparation
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, and supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and knowing your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.
What questions do you have about the latest wildfires? If you're impacted by the wildfires, what would you like to know? Text the ABC10 team at (916) 321-3310.
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