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Nodding to both tradition and innovation, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation deployed hundreds of goats to graze drybrush and invasive grass near the San Bernardino Mountains as part of a wildfire prevention strategy ahead of the peak fire season in Southern California.
The animals work in hill areas near highlands not too far from the recent Linefire, cleaning up vegetation that could serve as fuel in wildfires.
Hundreds of goats were deployed on Mount San Bernardino in June 2025, Yuhaaviatam booked, grazing and cleaning the brushes ahead of fire season. (Yuhaaviatam of Saint Manuel Nation)
This approach combines traditional ecological knowledge with modern land management practices, leading experts to warn of potentially dangerous fire seasons across the state.
Tribal officials say the effort is part of a broader land stewardship mission. This includes adopting an aggressive fire mitigation strategy far ahead of the new state mission, which requires homeowners to reduce flammable materials around the structure.
Hundreds of goats were deployed on Mount San Bernardino in June 2025, Yuhaaviatam booked, grazing and cleaning the brushes ahead of fire season. (Yuhaaviatam of Saint Manuel Nation)
Doug Wheeler, who led the local neighbourhood association near the Yuhaaviatam reservation and helped his neighbors fight the home-to-home flames in 2003, said he appreciated the aggressive and sustainable wildfire prevention strategy. Wheeler lives near the property.
The goats focus on pastures along the “front” at the edge of the San Bernardino Mountains. There, dry conditions and thick undergrowth can increase the risk of fast fires.
The San Manuel Fire Station oversees efforts aimed at protecting lives, homes and biodiversity while reducing the need for chemical treatment.
Hundreds of goats were deployed on Mount San Bernardino in June 2025, Yuhaaviatam booked, grazing and cleaning the brushes ahead of fire season. (Yuhaaviatam of Saint Manuel Nation)
Yuhaaviatam of the San Manuel Nation, once known as the St Manuel Mission Indian band, is a federally recognized tribe on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near the Highlands. For more information, please visit www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov.
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