Crews battling a small wildfire in Colorado Springs this week received an unexpected visitor when a four-year-old Nigerian dwarf goat named Goldie wandered into their camp and decided to stick around for the duration of the operation.
Goldie, whose full name is Golden Oreo, first appeared on Wednesday, July 8, as firefighters were actively engaged in containing the Rock Creek Fire burning west of Highway 115 near Cheyenne Mountain State Park. The brown and white goat followed the crews for hours as they cleared brush, and she even pitched in by munching on leaves and vegetation herself. When the firefighters headed down the hill, Goldie led the way, stopping occasionally to bleat and guide them along the safest route through the difficult terrain.
“The goat showed firefighters the best path up and down, often stopping to bleat and encourage them to follow her route,” said Shayne Coyne, superintendent of the Southern Colorado Interagency Wildland Fire Team.
The small 1.5-acre fire required multiple agencies to respond, including the Colorado Springs Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Wildland Fire unit, and the Southwestern Highway 115 Fire Protection District. As the exhausted crews worked to contain the blaze, Goldie became a fixture on the scene, trailing behind as crews packed up their equipment at the end of the day. She even followed one truck as it departed, and at one point spotted a U.S. Forest Service crew member eating lunch and tried to nudge her way into the meal.
“I don’t know that she necessarily helped with the firefighting effort, but it’s always cool to see an animal like that who doesn’t mind us being there,” said Colorado Springs Fire Department Lt. Trevor Leland.
Goldie’s owner, Lindsey Glader, said the goat appeared when the crew most needed the boost in morale. She described Goldie as a “social butterfly” who provided much-needed levity during the grueling operation to protect lives and property.
“She was able to give some comedic relief and offer some necessary levity for these guys and gals who have worked really, really hard and creating a break for this fire, and keeping a lot of people and a lot of things safe,” Glader said of Goldie’s contribution to the effort.
The recognition was not lost on the firefighting teams. The Colorado Springs Fire Department praised Goldie on Instagram, posting “Every crew needs a good leader; apparently ours has four legs.” As the fire approached 50 percent containment by late Friday, the Southern Colorado Interagency Wildland Fire Team celebrated Goldie on Facebook, calling her the “GOAT of the Rock Creek Canyon Fire” for helping ensure that crews got off safely.
The Rock Creek Fire was not the only fire demanding the attention of crews from Colorado Springs. The same team had been called to battle the larger Aspen Acres Fire southwest of Denver earlier in the month, which forced thousands of residents to evacuate. Fires across the West have kept crews extraordinarily busy, driven by a record lack of snow, high temperatures, and erratic winds that create dangerous conditions for rapid fire spread.
Yet in the midst of the intense challenge of fighting the Rock Creek Fire in difficult terrain, Goldie’s unexpected appearance offered the tired firefighters something money cannot buy: a moment of connection and relief during one of the most stressful operations they face each season.