Swiss Ski Resorts Fight Wildfires With Snow Gear

When summer arrives in the Swiss Alps, ski resorts typically put their snow cannons away and wait for winter. But the Adelboden-Lenk ski area has found a new purpose for its snowmaking equipment: fighting wildfires.

The resort's network of underground water pipes, reservoirs, and pumps spans 200 kilometers across the mountains. During ski season, this system feeds 210 snow cannons and 50 snow lances that create artificial snow on the slopes.

Now firefighters can tap into that same infrastructure during summer emergencies. Helicopters can refill water tanks from the reservoirs, while the pipe system can create wet buffer zones to slow advancing flames.

"We can help firefighters with our infrastructure," says Jürg Klopfenstein, who manages the resort's snowmaking operations. The water reservoirs collect rainfall and melting snow during warmer months, sitting ready when fire danger peaks.

Switzerland hasn't seen large wildfires this year like some neighboring countries. But authorities have assessed wildfire risk as high across almost the entire nation, including the Bern region where Adelboden sits.

The concern is growing for good reason. Glaciers across the Alps have retreated rapidly in recent years, and snowfall has become less reliable. About 70 percent of snow on Adelboden-Lenk's slopes is now made artificially.

Stefan Buchs, the resort's operations manager, says widespread wildfires are "a likely scenario" for the Alps. "Firefighters see that humidity is a real problem," he explains. "It gets really dry even in the spring."

The timing matters because the resort attracts mountain bikers, hikers, runners, and paragliders all summer long. Having firefighting resources already in place could save crucial minutes when every second counts.

The Ripple Effect

The creative reuse of winter infrastructure shows how communities can adapt existing resources to meet new climate challenges. Other Alpine resorts are watching Adelboden's approach, potentially creating a network of firefighting support across mountain regions.

Mayor Willy Schranz acknowledges this won't be a complete solution, but preparation matters. "We must be prepared, because I am sure it won't be the last summer like this one," he says.

The innovation represents mountain communities taking action with what they already have. While one resort's pipes won't solve the broader wildfire challenge, the approach offers a practical starting point that could protect lives and forests while larger climate solutions develop.