In the southern Chilean city of Santa Juana, hit hard by fires this year, locals have a special firefighting task force: a herd of goats.

Omnivores have already once saved the Chakay forest, protecting it from the February wildfires, caused by heat waves and unprecedented drought, which killed dozens, injured thousands and burned almost 4,400 square kilometers in southern and central Chile.

“The park was surrounded by flames, but in the end it was the only green spot,” said Rocio Cruzes, co-founder of the park and Buena Cabra, a program that uses goat firefighters to create firebreaks.

This method, also used in Portugal and Spain, relies on the use of goats to control dry pastures and other vegetation that contributes to forest fires in summer.

Goat droppings also help enrich the soil and prevent further erosion.

“The fire reached our forest, but only the first row of trees, less than 10% of the park, was really affected,” Ms Cruzes said, adding that small fires broke out but did not spread due to minimal vegetation.

Ms Kruzes started her project after the deadly fires in 2017. Her herd has grown from 16 goats to 150, and she hopes to inspire others to follow suit.

“In Chile, we fail to prevent fires,” said Francisco di Napoli, a forest engineer at the University of Concepción in Chile, who is familiar with the technique known as “strategic grazing.”

“These animals can help us a lot,” Mr. Di Napoli said, adding that other organizations should also “assess where they can be applied, find where the fuel is, and get the goats to consume it.”

Source: Reuters.