Hundreds of Sheep Grazing Arrowcreek Hillsides
- Reno will host planned sheep grazing next week to reduce vegetation and lower wildfire risk on Arrowcreek hillsides. - Hundreds of sheep and handlers will be deployed across multiple slopes to clear brush and control invasive plants. - The project aims to avoid mechanical clearing, but residents may see access changes and noise; details here (patch.com).
Hundreds of sheep will start grazing west of Reno’s Arrowcreek community on April 27 as part of a federal wildfire-mitigation project. (fs.usda.gov) The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest said herders from Borda Land and Sheep Company of Gardnerville will monitor about 900 sheep in the Arrowhawk Fuels Reduction Project. The animals will work in the Thomas Creek and Whites Creek watersheds north of Timberline Road. (fs.usda.gov) The Forest Service is using targeted grazing to eat down invasive weeds and other fine fuels on slopes that are hard to reach with crews or machinery. The agency said sheep can reduce weed spread and give native plants a better chance to recover. (fs.usda.gov) Arrowcreek sits in Reno’s wildland-urban interface, where neighborhoods meet open land that can carry fast-moving fire. Reno’s fire-prevention guidance tells residents in these areas to reduce vegetation and create defensible space around homes. (reno.gov) Local agencies have been leaning harder on vegetation work after recent wildfire-planning efforts. The Reno Fire Department opened public review of its 2026 Community Wildfire Protection Plan in November, describing it as a citywide effort to identify and reduce wildfire vulnerabilities. (reno.gov) Reno and nearby agencies have also used livestock before. The City of Reno said goats grazed about 16 acres near Skyline View Drive and Hemlock Way in 2023, and the city sent goats into the Evans Creek area in 2025 to cut cheatgrass and other fire-prone vegetation. (reno.gov 1) (reno.gov 2) Residents near Arrowcreek may see herders, fencing, guard dogs and temporary access changes while the sheep are on the hillsides. The Forest Service told dog owners to keep pets leashed during the operation. (fs.usda.gov) If the project follows last year’s schedule, the work will push into late April on the same Arrowhawk slopes above the community. For now, the next visible step is simple: a large flock moving across the brush before peak fire season. (fs.usda.gov 1) (fs.usda.gov 2)
