Fire is a constant threat here in Ibiza with so much tinder dry afforested land in the summer, where over the last few years big forest fires have destroyed thousands of square metres of pine trees and put property and lives at risk.
One ancient method of controlling such fires was to make a protective belt area with nothing flammable in it, so that any fire would be contained along its boundary, unable to cross.
Santa Eulalia council has found a novel, but probably hundreds of years old, method of clearing all vegetation in an area to make a protective belt against flames, and it's goats. No, we're not kidding, goats, well known for their propensity to eat everything and anything in their path!
A team of 60 goats will be brought in to clear a 30 metre wide strip covering an area of some 2.1 hectares near the Can Guasch neighbourhood in the town. The task will take the goats a mere 2 months and will cost the council 80% less than getting the environmental protection teams of Ibanat in to do the job - €5500 as opposed to €28,000!
The goats have plenty of experience in this line of duty having undertaken contracts for Renfe, The Spanish Electricity Network and the Aragon Government in the past and are all extremely happy in their work.
Our photos are not of the actual fire safety goats but are illustrative shots from our (live)stock archive. Nb - the animal in the centre is in fact a cat, it's just acting the goat!
