Sandra Hale Schulman
Special to ICT
SAN MANUEL BAND RESERVATION – With a chorus of loud bleats, herds of goats enthusiastically fawn out over scrubby hills of brush near Highland, California, on the 1,000 acres of reservation land of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
Chewing all day, the kids, does and bucks gnaw down the dry flammable brush and protect the land, homes and people from the ever-present fire danger.
As the horrific images of the fires that ravaged Los Angeles blasted the world over last week, the longtime use of goats by tribes has emerged as a simple, economical, environmentally friendly, centuries-old proven fire deterrent. Los Angeles is about an hour west of Highland.
The fires almost always start in the hills, as dry brush gets ignited by high winds that topple electrical wires, or from lightning strikes, fireworks or careless campfires. Embers can travel for miles, setting new fires ablaze.
Ralph Tovar, assistant chief of the San Manuel Fire Department, spoke to ICT about the use of goats on the reservation.
“Anyone living against the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains is all too familiar with the threat of wildfires,” he said. “San Manuel Fire Department uses goats to help eliminate fuels and reduce fire risks while minimizing the impact to the land and its resources.
“Other fuel-mitigation methods can destroy archeological materials and cultural and natural resources. Goats prefer food at their eye level and target brush as a food source, which sustains native plants that recover naturally over time. Their ability to navigate terrain makes them an efficient and less disruptive option to reduce fire risks in the mountainous terrain,” he said.
The brush this year was increased by the past winter’s record rainfall. The tribe’s own San Manuel Fire Department uses the herd of 400 to help trim the landscape. They are let loose in the early spring through the fall, then spend the winter at a nearby farm.
They are a natural fire-prevention measure. The goats proved themselves during a recent wildfire that stopped spreading once it reached the brushy area chewed down by the goats. The fire department arrived and quickly put out the rest of the flames.
“The act of stewardship and caring for the land is a sacred duty of the tribe,” Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena said in a statement. “Stewardship is a responsibility given to our people by the Creator. No matter who owns the land.”
Since 2019, this belief has inspired the tribe’s use of goats for fire prevention.
But the tribe also has a well-equipped fire department.
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Fire Department was established in 2003 to fight the threat of wildfires on their reservation near the San Bernardino National Forest. The reservation also holds many family homes, businesses and the award-winning Yaamava Casino Resort.
The fire department ranks among the top fire departments not just regionally but in the country. Since 2020, it has operated in the highest tier available for training, equipment readiness, fire prevention and thousands of emergency responses. A class one community hazard mitigation rating means the department is in the top 1 percent of fire departments nationwide.
The fire department has 61 full-time employees, two fire stations, and has handled over 20,000 emergency responses. At a recent ceremony where a new fire truck was dedicated, there were speeches, and tribal members performed traditional Bird Songs wearing ribbon shirts and shaking handmade rattles.
The tribe holds Giving Tuesday, and last year the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians gave $1 million in grants to support recovery, conservation and wildfire prevention efforts. The grants help restore and protect vital ecosystems, critical resources to local organizations working on the front lines of recovery, environmental protection, and community safety.
Recipients included The Wildlands Conservancy, Mojave Desert Land Trust, San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust and the Center for Biological Diversity.
“Giving Tuesday is a day that calls upon us to reflect on the power of collective generosity,” Valbuena said in giving out the grants. “We are honored to support our 2024 grant recipients in their efforts to rehabilitate lands affected by the recent wildfires and invest in the long-term health of our communities and ecosystems.
“The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is deeply committed to preservation and stewardship of the cultural and natural resources of the region.”
*Correction: This article has been updated to clarify that the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians reservation in California is near but not in the San Bernardino National Forest.
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