Ski resorts are increasingly vulnerable to wildfire due to remote locations, limited water access, and high fuel loads. That’s why CHS Snowmakers developed the CHS Fire Pre-Plan, a practical guide tailored to the ski industry, to help you protect what matters most.
This plan offers a foundational framework for integrating snowmaking systems into your fire response and building partnerships with emergency agencies. Phase One is available free of charge to help ski areas take the first step.
The Four-Phase Fire Planning Approach
Phase One – Getting Started
Free guide to begin building your resort’s fire pre-plan. Use it to map, assess, and prepare with your team. Must be reviewed annually.
Phase Two – Onsite Evaluation and Expert Feedback
CHS visits your site to assess Phase One progress and recommend updates, focusing on snowmaking infrastructure and defensible zones.
Phase Three – Mitigation & Equipment Solutions
Begin physical mitigation work: thinning, clearing, and snowmaking upgrades. CHS connects you with trusted vendors and tools.
Phase Four – Wildfire Response Prep
Prepare for incident response by contracting with fire services and organizing personnel. CHS helps you plan.
The CHS Team
Jason Sawin
Jason Sawin founded CHS Snowmakers in 2002 with his wife, Kelly. With over 30 years in the ski industry, Jason began his career in 1991 at Steamboat Ski Area and later at Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where he served as crew leader for five of his seven years. His responsibilities included snowmaking, lift operations, grooming, and summer maintenance. Jason also brings over 30 years of firefighting experience, beginning as a volunteer firefighter in Steamboat Springs from 1994 to 2001. He then served 15 years as a career firefighter/paramedic with West Metro Fire in Lakewood, Colorado. After relocating to Idaho in 2015, he volunteered with Garden Valley Fire and deployed in 2022 as a water tender operator with Torch Fire and Security on a federal wildfire incident.
Jason’s combined background in snowmaking and firefighting forms the basis of this fire pre-plan, developed specifically for ski areas. Drawing on decades of field experience, this plan focuses on leveraging snowmaking infrastructure for wildfire preparedness and emergency response. It includes practical guidance for risk assessment, equipment adaptation, system integration, agency coordination, and annual training to help ski areas better protect their facilities and surrounding environments.
Ody Anderson
Alton “Ody” Anderson brings over three decades of wildfire management and aviation safety expertise to the CHS Snowmakers fire pre-planning team. With 34 years of federal land management experience across the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service, Ody has led wildfire and fuels mitigation efforts at local, regional, and national levels. From 1992 to 2010, he worked in snowmaking and lift operations at Aspen Ski Co., giving him firsthand knowledge of ski area infrastructure and operations. This rare combination of fire management and ski industry experience makes Ody a key resource for helping resorts prepare for wildfire threats.
Ody is a recognized leader in aviation safety and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), serving as the National UAS Program Manager for the National Park Service prior to his retirement. He is an FAA Part 107-certified and DOI-carded pilot and evaluator. His background includes national policy development, incident response coordination, training delivery, and safety compliance for wildfire and aviation operations. His ability to integrate modern tools like UAS into emergency planning, combined with his operational ski area experience, makes him an invaluable asset to CHS Snowmakers’ fire pre-plan program for ski resorts and mountain infrastructure.
Download Phase One (Free)
Begin your resort’s wildfire readiness today with our free Phase One template. This includes:
- Risk overview and site mapping
- Lift and lodge protection plans
- Snowmaking system details
- Emergency and evacuation strategies
- Annual training standards
⚠️ Note: This is not a fire attack guide—it’s a pre-planning strategy designed to reduce wildfire impact before it happens.
Want Help with the Next Phase?
We’re here to walk with you, whether you need a detailed site review, infrastructure evaluation, or help sourcing equipment. Let us help you protect your mountain with the right tools in place.
Contact Jason Sawin
jsawin@chssnowmakers.com
303-818-5923 | 208-817-0033