Published on
13/08/2026 - 12:35 GMT+2
There's barely any snow in sight above Adelboden in the intense August sunshine, never mind skiers. But the Swiss resort may have a new way to put its snowmaking equipment to work as Europe bakes through hot summers: helping douse forest fires.
Glaciers in Switzerland and around the Alps have been retreating rapidly in recent years, among other changes attributed to the impact of climate change caused by human activity. Snowfall has become less frequent and reliable over recent decades.
That's a big issue for a mid-altitude ski resort like the Adelboden-Lenk area, whose roughly 200 kilometres of slopes span an altitude between 1,000 and 2,300 metres. These days, an estimated 70 per cent of the snow on its slopes is made artificially.
