Star Creek Land Stewards helps fight wildfires with goats and sheep

SAN GERONIMO, Calif. — On a foggy morning near San Geronimo, a small mountain community 20 minutes west of Fairfax in Marin County, Silvio Justo, a Peruvian herder, unrolls temporary electric fencing he places around herds of sheep and goats rapidly devouring acres of wild grass surrounding a hilltop home.

The livestock belong to Star Creek Land Stewards. The Los Banos-based company was hired by a local homeowner to clear the brush surrounding the home in an effort to help combat wild fire spread.

The 2020 California wildfire season was the largest on record — 4.2 million acres burned across the state. This has led to a spike in property owners hiring sheep and goat grazing companies to help contain fires.

The animals feast on fire fuel dry brush to mitigate wildfires. Watch the video in the player above for more information.