Goats help clear overgrown vegetation at Centennial Airport in Colorado, help mitigate wildfire risk

Goats have taken over parts of Centennial Airport in Colorado this week.

A total of 322 of the animals have been brought in to help bring down dry and overgrown vegetation on airport property. That leads to stabilization of the soil and prevents wildlife from building habitats and making the airfield their homes. In the process, the goats are also helping with wildfire mitigation.

The goats belong to the company Goat Bros and are contained to specific areas by using electric fences.

"The (goats) are breaking up the soil. The soil is porous, it needs room for water, and airflow," said owner and operater Jordan Sarazen. "They're also working fire fuel load."

Sarazen said the goats sometimes get up on their hind legs or climb up ladders to get at some of the vegetation.

"These goats are eating anything from a quarter of an inch off the ground up to 6 feet high," he said.

The goats have been grazing in different areas for more than 500 days in a row.