Universal Studios has deployed about 500 goats for a second year to graze brush across its Universal City lot, clearing 77 acres in one month and eating shrubs up to six feet tall. The grazing reaches steep or tight areas that machinery often cannot and reduces the need for spark-producing equipment. The effort, run by family-owned Fire Grazers, produced 30 newborn goats this season and uses two guardian dogs to protect the herd from coyotes. Officials say the program leaves more manageable, meadow-like landscapes and supports native plants.
Hollywood's New Firefighters: 500 Goats Help Universal Studios Reduce Wildfire Risk
Universal Studios is reducing its fire risk with an eco-friendly method – goats
For the second consecutive year, roughly 500 goats have returned to the Universal Studios Lot in Universal City — not to appear on camera, but to help prevent wildfires by grazing dense brush across the studio's hillsides.
How The Program Works
The herd of "goat-scapers" grazes on brush and shrubs up to about six feet high, reaching steep or tight areas that conventional machinery sometimes cannot access. This season the herd cleared 77 acres of brush in a single month, consuming thousands of pounds of potential wildfire fuel each day.
Follow-Up And Safety
After the goats finish grazing, landscapers remove larger brush and lower branches while tree crews handle taller vegetation to complete the cleanup. Using animals to reduce fuel is a lower-risk alternative to gas-powered equipment, which can produce heat, sparks or flying debris.
The herd of around 500 goats cleared 77 acres of brush on the Universal Studios Lot in just one month this year (AFP/Getty)
"Anytime you have gas-powered equipment, spark plugs and gasoline and rocks getting flipped around, there's a chance for danger," Jorden Anderson, senior director of facilities and engineering at the Studio Lot, told NBC Los Angeles. "With these guys, we obviously don't have any of those same issues."
Environmental Benefits
The benefits continue after grazing ends: areas cleared last year have regrown into more open, meadow-like landscapes that are easier to maintain. Grazing also helps native plants and grasses reclaim space while suppressing some invasive species, improving long-term vegetation management.
About The Team
The goats are supplied by family-run Fire Grazers, operated by Michael Choi and his brothers, a business passed down from their father. The herd itself is expanding—30 baby goats were born on the Universal Studios Lot this season, reflecting the program's growth.
"Every year, it gets more busy and the herd grows exponentially," Choi told NBC Los Angeles.
Protecting The Flock
Keeping such a large herd safe requires constant attention. Coyotes are one of the biggest threats, so two livestock guardian dogs, Noni and Joy, patrol the area and chase away unwelcome wildlife. According to Anderson, the protection has been effective, with no reported incidents in recent weeks.
Bottom line: The goat-grazing program offers a practical, eco-friendly tool to reduce wildfire fuel, support native vegetation, and lower the risks associated with mechanical land clearing.
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