Laguna Beach: Goats Vs. Wildfires

Laguna Beach and surrounding areas have recovered from the Big Wildfire of 1993. But the city is taking steps in fire safety to prevent another disastrous event. 

According to the municipality of Laguna Beach, California, approximately 85 percent of the city and its surrounding 42,000 acres of protected wilderness and open space are designated by CalFire as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. After igniting on Oct. 27, 1993, the biggest wildfire in the city’s history burned more than 16,000 acres and destroyed hundreds of homes in Laguna Beach and neighboring Emerald Bay.

“Because of our extreme wildfire risk, the City of Laguna Beach has implemented robust fire safety ordinances and vegetation management to protect our community and our natural environment,” says Niko King, fire chief with the Laguna Beach Fire Department.

The city’s grazing program uses goats to devour flammable vegetation efficiently in high-risk areas. CREDIT: Courtesy of Laguna Beach Fire Department

In a recent interview, King outlines these fire safety efforts:

• Fire safety ordinances, including defensible space requirements. All properties must maintain 100 feet of space around structures, which includes removing dead vegetation and trimming tree canopies. Also, fire- prone plants, such as pampas grass, bamboo, junipers, and eucalyptus, are prohibited within defensible spaces.
• Fire-resistant building standards. These include tempered glass windows, Class A fire-rated roofing materials, non- combustible siding, and spark arrestors on chimneys.
• Weed abatement program. Property inspections conducted by the Fire Department to ensure that overgrown and hazardous vegetation is cleared.
• Vegetation management programs, including 500 city- maintained acres of fuel modification zones surrounding Laguna Beach neighborhoods; home hardening inspections in partnership with residents to identify risks and recommend fire-safe improvements; and a goat grazing program, which uses goats (yes, goats) to gobble up flammable vegetation efficiently in high-risk areas.
• Community preparedness training, including: public education, such as an Emergency Preparedness Month Awareness campaign and neighborhood outreach events to ensure that residents are informed about evacuation plans, emergency kits, and home hardening techniques; The latest technology for notifying residents in the event of an emergency, such as text messaging through local West Nile Virus (Nile) alerts, and notifications via an outdoor warning system with speakers installed throughout the city for messaging and safety actions; and free wildlife consultation.

“Fire is a constant threat in Laguna Beach,” King emphasizes. “Our stringent and comprehensive safety ordinances and vegetation management programs reflect our city’s commitment to reducing wildfire risks through proactive policies, community engagement, and innovative solutions.” 

Laguna Beach and surrounding areas have recovered from the Big Wildfire of 1993. But the city is taking steps in fire safety to prevent another disastrous event. CREDIT: Flickr/Ken Lund CC 2.0