Goats and Sheep Deployed to Malibu Hillsides for Wildfire Prevention

A herd of 400 goats and 100 sheep has been deployed to Malibu's Big Rock neighborhood to clear 70 acres of invasive brush as part of a regional wildfire prevention effort. - The herd arrived May 21 under the direction of the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).

- Targeted grazing is used as an ecologically sustainable alternative to mechanical brush clearance. - The deployment is part of a broader wildfire prevention alliance formed in fall 2025.

- The initiative is backed by a $3.2 million grant from Proposition 4 fire prevention funds. The project aims to create defensible space around vulnerable residential communities and is part of a larger regional strategy that includes mechanical mastication, prescribed pile burns, and manual clearance.