Goats may help prevent wildfires in California as drought worsens
Native to Eurasia, the black mustard plant outcompetes [California's] native vegetation because it grows profusely and its roots generate biochemicals that stop the seeds of other plants from germinating. Its growing season makes it a particular menace: It thrives in the spring and can grow to eight feet high, only to die and turn to dangerous tinder by early summer. … Prior to fire seasons in the past, land managers traditionally relied on herbicide and human labor to thin plants and brush to reduce fuel load, the amount of flammable material that can burn in a fire. But access to mountain terrain in southern California can be challenging … That’s why more people in California are turning to a four-legged solution: Goats.