Firefighters battle against a wildfire in Riverside County of Southern California, the United States, Aug. 2, 2020.(Photo: Xinhua)

Their mission, should they choose to accept it, is simple: graze.

Goats are an unlikely but increasingly popular weapon in California's fight against the wildfires that rage through the western US state every year.

On a recent hot July morning, a herd of 80 ungulates were deployed to a hilly patch of land in Glendale, just outside Los Angeles.

They had been chomping away for the past 10 days or so, helping to clear away bone-dry vegetation that could go up in flames and threaten the surrounding homes. 

Their work comes up a vital time. 2020 was the worst in California's modern history for wildfires, with more than 4 million acres (9.6 million hectares) scorched. 

Due to climate change and a brutal drought, officials fear that months of massive infernos are now the norm.

"We started hearing a lot about goats, both from community members, other fire departments, other cities," said Glendale fire marshal Jeffrey Ragusa. Of course the animals are just one small part for coping with the threat of fires. But their help can be valuable.

"The more we looked into it, the more we realized how effective they can be, how environmentally friendly they can be," added Jeffrey Ragusa.