Goat herders say an upcoming California labor law will threaten their business and may raise the risk of more intense and deadly wildfires.

California uses goats and other grazing animals to mitigate wildfire risks, essentially using them as natural lawnmowers to rid the state of unwanted and potentially dangerous dry grasses, especially in rocky and hilly terrain where traditional equipment can't be used.

The state is set to force farm businesses to pay employees an hourly salary and overtime instead of a monthly salary, a move advocates say will improve the lives of workers and opponents say will drive them out of business and make them unemployed.

Herders currently make an average monthly salary of $3,800, but that figure could go up to $14,000 if the employees move over to an hourly pay structure that includes overtime, according to the California Farm Bureau.

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