Herd of goats to help with Merritt wildfire mitigation

Goats will be munching on vegetation in the Merritt area over the next two weeks as the City and Merritt Fire Rescue Department recruit the animals for wildfire mitigation work.

About 80 goats from BC Timber Goats will be hard at work at the north end of Pine Street in Collettville starting Monday (July 6), grazing on grasses, leaves, shrubs, and other vegetation.

Merritt Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) officials said this project is funded through the B.C. government’s Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) Program.

“This work is taking place within an approved fuel management treatment area and is an environmentally friendly way to reduce wildfire risk while improving community resilience,” said the MFRD.

Residents in the area are welcome to watch the goats, but the MFRD urges the public not to feed or approach them, keep dogs on the leash and under control and respect any fencing or signage.