A very different type of firefighter descended on the steep hills of Little Mountain.
They didn’t wear turnouts, carry hoses or yell out orders.
Instead, the group of about 275 simply bleated, scampered about on cloven hooves and chewed the various dry grasses and weeds on the hillsides.
The herd of goats was doing what nature intended, and Tuesday marked the first time San Bernardino County Fire used such help. Department officials hope the goats will mitigate destructive wildfires that have plagued the area in the past.
“We as a fire department realize that, sure, it’s our job to respond to fires but it’s our greater responsibility to prevent fires from happening,” San Bernardino County Fire Department Chief Dan Munsey said Tuesday. “And in this case we’re using ‘kid’ labor, which I’m sure our HR wouldn’t be too happy with.”