Marine Corps Air Station Miramar has enlisted an unconventional wildfire-prevention crew: 471 goats are grazing across 600 acres, consuming the dry brush and vegetation that can provide fuel for fast-moving fires.
The all-female herd was brought in from California’s Central Valley for Operation Goat Rope, a pilot project billed as the first program of its kind at a U.S. military installation.
The goats are being used for targeted grazing, feeding on dense chaparral, invasive weeds and other “flashy” fuels while helping establish strategic firebreaks throughout the base.
“When wildfire sparks in Southern California, defensible space is our greatest asset,” Joshua Allen, MCAS Miramar’s fire chief, said. “The strategic fuel breaks created by this targeted grazing program slow a fire’s advance and lower the energy released.”
The herd is made up of Spanish-Boer crossbreeds, a combination known for resilience and agility on rugged terrain. The goats are also well suited to Southern California’s hot, arid climate.
They have been specially trained for targeted grazing, too, meaning their time on the base is less a leisurely pasture outing than a carefully managed assignment with a specific menu of vegetation.
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The animals’ ability to move through steep canyon terrain is central to the operation. They can reach locations that heavy machinery cannot, clearing vegetation without the use of chemical treatments or equipment that could create sparks.
“Targeted grazing allows us to clear steep canyon terrain where heavy machinery can’t go—reducing wildfire risk without chemical treatments or spark hazards,” MCAS Miramar said.
The goats offer an eco-friendly alternative to bulldozers while helping remove dry brush and invasive grasses near military infrastructure and adjacent civilian communities.
By selectively thinning dense, overgrown areas, the herd helps form fuel breaks designed to slow the spread of a wildfire and reduce the intensity of the flames.
Despite its unusual workforce, the operation is backed by the familiar machinery of government contracting.
MCAS Miramar issued an invitation for bids titled “Targeted Goat Grazing Services – Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.” A government market evaluation estimated the contract’s value at between $50,000 and $180,000.
The grazing project has also raised questions about how the visiting herd could affect wildlife already living in the area.
One person asked whether “the local natural population of deer and rabbits will have enough forage available.”
