Contact Us

More Information

Volunteer

Apply Now!

JOIN CSFA
No kidding: California overtime law threatens use of grazing goats to prevent wildfires

Home – News & Articles

California Fire Volunteer

Hundreds of goats munch on long blades of yellow grass on a hillside next to a sprawling townhouse complex. They were hired to clear vegetation that could fuel wildfires as temperatures rise this summer.

These voracious herbivores are in high demand to devour weeds and shrubs that have proliferated across California after a drought-busting winter of heavy rain and snow.

“It’s a huge fuel source. If it was left untamed, it can grow very high. And then when the summer dries everything out, it’s perfect fuel for a fire,” said Jason Poupolo, parks superintendent for the city of West Sacramento, where goats grazed on a recent afternoon.

Wildfires Grazing Goats
Jason Puopolo, parks superintendent for City of West Sacramento, and Tim Arrowsmith, owner of Western Grazers, look at a herd of grazing sheep in West Sacramento, Calif., on May 17, 2023. Goats are in high demand to clear vegetation as California prepares for the wildfire season, but a farmworker overtime law threatens the grazing business.TERRY CHEA / AP

Targeted grazing is part of California’s strategy to reduce wildfire risk because goats can eat a wide variety of vegetation and graze in steep, rocky terrain that’s hard to access. Backers say they’re an eco-friendly alternative to chemical herbicides or weed-whacking machines that make noise and pollution.

More Events

View Calendar

0 Comments

Find an Error or Missing Info on the Map?

Name(Required)

Calaveras County Volunteer Firefighters

Calaveras County consists of 10 volunteer fire departments:

  • Altavile/Melones
  • Angles Camp
  • Central Fire
  • Copperopolis
  • Ebbetts Pass
  • Calaveras Consolidated Fire
  • Mokelumne Hill
  • Murphys Fire
  • San Andreas
  • West Point Fire

The CCFCA fire agencies are located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 188 miles east of San Francisco and 135 miles west of Lake Tahoe in California. Found midway on State Highway 49, between Sacramento and Yosemite, Calaveras County links the two towns of the California Gold Country. With an average of 6,000 fire and emergency service calls a year, our 11 fire districts serve a rural area of 45,578 people. We provide fire protection and rescue service to 1,020 square miles of rural area. Our 11 volunteer agencies respond to structure fires, wild land fires, medical emergencies, water rescue, technical rope rescue, hazardous materials spills, public service assistance calls and other emergencies. The Calaveras County Fire Agencies protects an area that is 66% rural wild land, 21% residential, and 3% commercial, including Calaveras Big Trees State Park, a preserve of Giant Sequoia trees, located in the county several miles east of the town of Arnold.

Calaveras County Volunteer Firefighter Selection Criteria

Below is a list of the selection criteria each department requires in order to consider an application for volunteer firefighter. Read the criteria and make sure that you qualify, then click the Apply button to complete your application online.

Fire Department

Must Live in District

Required Certifications

Comments

Altavile/Melones

Yes

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record & in good health. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

Angels Camp

Yes

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record. Physical exam and agility test. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

Central Fire

Yes

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record & in good health. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

Copperopolis

No

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record & in good health. Under 18 Cadet Program available. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

Ebbetts Pass

Yes

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record & in good health. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

Calaveres Consolidated Fire

Yes

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record & in good health. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

Mokelumne Hill

Yes

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean background check. Physical exam and pass a drug and alcohol test. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided. Must receive Class B license within the 1 year probation period.
 

Murphys Fire

No

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record & in good health. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

San Andreas

Yes

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record & in good health. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

West Point Fire

Yes

None

 Must be over 18 with a clean record & in good health. Valid DL. Participate in an interview. Training provided.

 

Napa County Volunteer Firefighters

  • The NCFA helps protect over 125,000 citizens and has 9 all-volunteer fire stations. We protect thousands of tourists each year who travel to the northern California wine country. With an average of 3,049 fire and emergency service calls a year, our 9 volunteer fire companies serve mostly wild land areas and rural residential.
  • Our volunteers receive state of the art training through the fire academy right in the heart of Napa County. No experience needed!

 

Napa County Volunteer Firefighter Selection Criteria

Although local governments and departments establish different selection criteria, many departments require that volunteers:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Have a valid driver’s license
  • Be healthy and in good physical condition
  • Complete basic fire & EMS training
  • Live in close proximity to the fire district
  • Have a clean criminal record
  • Meet the minimum ongoing training requirements
  • Respond to a certain percentage of calls

Time requirements vary by department. Time commitment will depend on several factors, such as the number of calls the department receives, training requirements, shift versus on-call structure, and community activities in which the department requires volunteers to participate.

Volunteer departments prefer that volunteers have the ability to respond to calls 24 hours a day, although most departments still accept volunteers who are unable to leave work or other obligations to respond to a call.

Typically, departments pay for training and firefighting equipment. Volunteer firefighting is an unpaid position; however, some departments may provide stipends or reimburse volunteers for certain expenses.

Napa County Firefighters Association

The Napa County Firefighters Association carries the responsibility of manning 9 all-volunteer fire stations out of the 13 NCFD stations. NCFD provides over 300 hours of in-house training to meet California's required Firefighter 1 and 2, plus EMS First Responder standards. All new recruits receive an entry level physical and all required immunizations and our department encourages a daily physical fitness routine.

If you want to make a difference in your community, become a Volunteer Firefighter!