San Diego Gas & Electric's launch this week of an Instagram account highlighting wildfire prevention efforts could be called "the G.O.A.T.," as the domesticated farm animal is its main attraction.
On Monday, SDG&E officially debuted @thegoatsedge, "just as 300 goats paraded through a San Diego neighborhood to their next grazing site," the company said in a news release.
Three-hundred goats walked through Clairemont Mesa escorted by energy company employees and San Diego Fire-Rescue Department personnel.
The critters are considered "environmentally friendly `vegetation managers,' adept at navigating steep and rugged terrain that is less accessible to humans or machinery," according to SDG&E.
Power company officials said the event "drew enthusiastic community support, is part of SDGE's broader wildfire mitigation strategy, using goats to clear flammable vegetation from transmission corridors while now also engaging the public year-round through a novel, behind-the-scenes social media platform."
While grazing, goats eat invasive plant species and seeds, a process that also acts as natural soil fertilizer.
"This process not only reduces erosion but also promotes regrowth of native vegetation," SDG&E said. "Since 2021, these herds have cleared thousands of high-risk acres across San Diego County."
According to SDG&E, the goats' grazing enhances soil health with increased nitrogen levels, resulting in more resilient ecosystems. "By replacing herbicides and heavy machinery, goats contribute to both environmental protection and infrastructure safety," officials said.
As an alternative to mechanical or chemical methods, goats clear flammable vegetation "without generating sparks or runoff, making them ideal for use near homes and sensitive habitats," according to SDG&E.
"These goats are nature's wildfire prevention team, clearing brush in hard-to-reach places and helping us decrease our year-round fire risk," said San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's spokesman.
SDFD Capt. Jason Shanley called goats "nature's wildfire prevention team" that clears brush in hard-to-reach areas and decreases the year-round fire risk.
"We love that we get to work with the real G.O.A.T's of the fire service, and we are grateful for their partnership and hard work to help us keep the community safe and preserve the environment," Shanley said.
The Instagram account features pictures and video of the goats in action, including one featuring the 20th Century Fox theme.
One SDG&E executive said the goats serve not only as a wildfire prevention strategy symbol, but "represent just one element of SDGE's comprehensive, multi-layered approach for community safety and grid resilience."
"Our record of 17 years without a major utility-related catastrophic wildfire reflects our collective measures to protect the region and continue providing our customers with safe, reliable service, today and into the future," added Brian D'Agostino, wildfire and climate science vice president.
The company's mitigation program includes Wildfire and Climate Resilience Center, utility-owned weather networks and a full-time meteorology team, and grid resilience efforts, such as 315 miles of strategic underground systems and 1,600 fire-resistant poles.
