Three tractor trailer trucks rolled up to the Oakland Hills on Thursday to drop off a herd of grass-eating goats for months of fire prevention work.
They came off the ramp and started chowing down like they hadn't seen a thistle in months. Martin Matarese used to manage the wildland areas for the City of Oakland, now he helps coordinate the goats that will blanket these crispy hillsides throughout the season.
"It’s like ‘Where are the goats? The grass is dry, it’s 80 degrees and windy out here.’ Yes, it’s a big day for the neighbors and for the City of Oakland." he said.
The Bay Area is coming off its earliest Red Flag Warning this past weekend.
"This area that we’re crazing today is called King Estates (Open Space) Park located in East Oakland along Fontaine St. We’re bringing in 2,000 goats and it’s a band of does, or females, and their babies," he told KCBS Radio.
They had 75 acres to much on there before moving up to 200-plus acres near the Oakland Zoo.
If you’re wondering what kind of goats these are, you can't just throw any goats out there. It takes size and chomping ability.
"Usually, we use those smaller goats on the steeper sites like the Grizzly Peak Open Space near the Berkeley border and Joaquin Miller Park," Matarese said. "This herd really matches these rolling hills in East Oakland much better."
Goat grazing has started earlier and earlier in recent years because of our expanding fire season, but you can't push it too soon because the babies are usually born around March.
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