Wynonna is not your typical firefighter.
While firefighters use water to put out fires, she uses her appetite and her four-chamber stomach to get the job done.
Wynonna is one of about 40 goats being tasked with eating dead weeds and grass for the Weatherford affiliate of Goats on the Go , a company made up of local, independently-owned goat grazing businesses that provide weed and brush control.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, there were around 20 brush fires near Fort Worth and surrounding counties resulting in over 2,700 acres burned in 2023.
With February being the start of fire season in Texas, goat grazing can play a role in wildfire fuel management in rural areas.
John Walker, a professor emeritus and extension range scientist with the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management at Texas A&M University, said fire season in Texas begins in February, earlier than in other states, due to the state’s unique climate and weather conditions.
In Texas, Walker said, peak rainy season is in the spring and fall, which allows the vegetation to grow in the summertime. When temperatures drop in the winter, the soil dries and northern fronts bring in high winds.