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W.2

Fighting Fires­—One Bite at a Time

These goats are stopping wildfires by doing what comes naturallyeating everything in sight.

MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images 

This famous library almost caught fire in 2019!

    In the fall of 2019, a wildfire swept through Simi Valley, California. Right in its path stood the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. But the flames stopped 30 yards from the building. Millions of photographs, films, and audio tapes were saved. And the librarians had an unusual group of heroes to thank: 500 very hungry goats.

    How did a herd of goats help stop a wildfire? By doing what they do best: eating . . . and eating . . . and eating.

    Five months before the fire, the library brought in the goats. The hungry herd got to work eating bushes and grass

    Two weeks later, the goats left with full bellies. They had cleared an area the size of 10 football fields. When the fire arrived, there were fewer dry plants for it to burn. That made it easier for firefighters to protect the library.

Deadly Fires

    Wildfires have become a huge problem in recent years. Climate change has made summers longer, hotter, and drier. Bushes and trees die off and turn into fuel for fires. Strong winds blow flames into huge, fast-moving firestorms. On average, wildfires burn an area the size of Massachusetts every year. They destroy thousands of homes and cause billions of dollars in damage

    People are looking for ways to slow down these massive fires. Experts say it’s important to get rid of dry grasses, bushes, and trees. That can be done by humans with power tools. But goats are a cheaper, cleaner option.

Clearing the Way

    Goats are great for this firefighting job. They can climb up the steepest hills. Their jaws are built to grind through tough leaves. They can eat just about anything without getting sick. And it takes a lot to fill them up. Each goat can eat about 10 pounds of plants a day.

    Some experts worry that the goats do their job too well. If they munch all the bushes on a hillside, it can cause mudslides in a rainstorm. And goats also like to eat tree bark. Too much snacking can kill the trees.

    But every fall, firefighters need all the help they can get. And goats need all the food they can find

    Sounds like a perfect match

Leveled Articles (2)
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Weird But True

Higher Level: Fighting Fires—One Bite at a Time

Read or print a 800-900L version of this article in magazine view.

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Weird But True

Lower Level: Fighting Fires—One Bite at a Time

Read or print a 500-600L version of this article in magazine view.

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