Goats could prevent fires

Newport Beach firefighters have commissioned a study to examine how effective goats could be at preventing wildfires by gobbling up brush in Buck Gully and Morning Canyon in Corona del Mar.

“Goats can eat anything and are much less expensive than labor,” Councilwoman Nancy Gardner said. “The only problem with goats is you have to jump through a lot of regulatory hoops. The Coastal Commission has concerns about goat poop.”

Goats already pay annual grazing visits to Laguna Beach to clear hazardous brush, Gardner said. A massive wildfire in Laguna destroyed numerous homes there in 1993 before the goat-grazing program was adopted. The goat-grazing treatment costs about $750 an acre in Laguna Beach, according to Newport Beach firefighters.

The recent rash of blazes across Southern California have given new urgency to find solutions for areas at-risk for fires, such as Buck Gully and Morning Canyon.

“We all know about all the fires in Southern California, and all that brush is just an accident waiting to happen,” said Newport Beach resident George Jeffries, who owns a duplex in Corona del Mar.

Jeffries takes walks around the Buck Gully area three times a week and contacted Gardner because he was concerned about the brush and vegetation he saw growing close to houses in the area.

“I think it’s a major safety issue. It could go up just like that,” he said.

Under the right conditions, a fire in the area could cause significant damage in Corona del Mar, said Newport Beach Fire Division Chief Steve Bunting, who recently addressed City Council members on the issue.

“We project with Santa Ana winds, a fire moving down Buck Gully will spread into homes and once it starts going home-to-home, it could be difficult to stop,” Bunting said.

Although property owners are responsible for clearing brush in the area, many do not comply, Bunting said.

The fire department divides Buck Gully into three sections and inspects each part once every three years.

“It’s really on the honor system, and many people wait for us to give them a violation notice before they do it,” Bunting said.

A recent inspection yielded about 30 violation notices, he said. Goats could help reduce fire hazards in the area, Bunting said. The fire department recently commissioned a study on the issue with the environmental consulting group Dudek & Associates Inc.

“It’s nothing short of amazing,” said Bunting, who lives in Laguna and has seen the goats grazing there. “The goats actually stand on hind legs and eat all of the understory of the trees and fire moving through that part doesn’t have any fuel You end up with a hillside that looks almost manicured.”

Bunting said he and the fire department will continue to look at other possible solutions and perhaps new regulations for homeowners to dampen the dangers. He hopes to report back to the City Council on his findings in about a month.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.