Portugal Depends On Goats To Help Prevent Deadly Wildfires

Portugal is using goats to help help prevent the deadly summer wildfires that last year killed 106 people.

Dozens of herds have been hired by the government to munch through the thick undergrowth that covers the country's hills and makes wildfires a regular summer occurrence.

While it is the first time Portugal has deployed the animals to help prevent wildfires, they have been used for decades in the US - especially California and the Pacific Northwest - as an environmentally friendly way to limit the impact of fires.

Miguel Joao de Freitas, junior minister for forests and rural development, said: "Last year was when it became patently clear to us that something different had to be done.

"Prevention is the most urgent requirement, and it has to be done as soon as possible."

Portugal's firefighting resources are also being upgraded, with 12 water-dumping planes and 41 helicopters hired to help combat blazes that do break out.

There will be more than 10,700 firefighters on standby in the peak wildfire period from 1 July to 30 September - 1,000 more than in 2017.

Wildfires routinely occur as temperatures soar on the Iberian Peninsula, but last year's were the deadliest on record.

Wildfires killed 106 people in Portugal in 2017
Social and climate changes have also contributed to the fires; as people abandon the countryside for city life, the number of goat herds falls.

Goatherd Daniel Fernandes, 61, said: "There used to be lots of herds around here. Some people have died, some gave up, and young people aren't interested in this."