Group of goats helping with fire prevention efforts in Mariposa County

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- From rain to record snow, Central California had an active winter. Cal Fire officials said they are preparing for what may be a late fire season.

"We've offered several academies for firefighters to prepare for the upcoming season. We've also done some vegetation management, prescribed fire burns," said Jaime Williams, CalFire Fire Prevention Specialist.

This past weekend, first responders fought a vegetation fire in Kathy's Valley. We saw crews on Monday afternoon monitoring the area.

Williams said it's essential for your family to be prepared for potential fires.

"We live in a very high fire hazard zone, and so it's really important for people to get their defensible space. You know, last year we had the Oak Fire, and it impacted a lot of families, and it's a small community, so it impacted us all." said Williams.

Meanwhile, there is a group working hard to prevent fires in Mariposa County-- a group of goats.

"Now there's a lot more people here. A lot more small parcels, not as much grazing, so there's a big need to reduce the fuel load, and that's what we use the goats for."

Goats can clear an acre of land in just a day or two. Fouch said using goats is typically cheaper than alternatives, costing anywhere from $200 to $400, depending on the acreage.

"We got booked out all summer. As soon as people started to hear about it, the whole year was booked out, so there's a huge demand." said Fouch.

"Happy Goat" has only been in business for about a year and a half -- and with so much demand for their service, they plan to expand out of Mariposa in the coming years.

Veterinarian Matty Elliot works for the company as a shepherd. After almost losing her house in a wildfire, Elliot said using goats for fire prevention is a great alternative.

"It feels good to do something 'cause you feel pretty helpless with the fires," said Elliot.

If you'd like to see how you can protect your home during wildfire season, click here.

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