Kelly Hopping

San Manuel, Calif., Assistant Fire Chief Ralph Tovar holds a young goat whose herd just spent a day eating brush and grass to reduce wildfire risk. Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

September 2, 2026

Pyrograzing turns ordinary livestock into fire prevention heroes, so why isn’t it used on public lands more often?

Briana Swette, Boise State University and Kelly Hopping, Boise State University

Targeted grazing is gaining interest as fire risk rises, particularly in hard-to-manage areas of the Western US. But it isn’t always as simple as it seems.

1

0

Pyrograzing turns ordinary livestock into fire prevention heroes, so why isn’t it used on public lands more often?

Contact Kelly for