Stunt Gone Wrong: Skier Collides With Burning Ring of Fire (Video)

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Mar 11, 2026 6:06 AM ET

There comes a time in every skier’s life when they think, “Hmm. I wonder if I could jump through a ring of fire.”

Well, maybe not, but for skier Mathias Birkelund, this was a real idea. Alongside a friend, he almost pulled it off.

Instead of a triumphant outcome, though, the stunt, which went south, offered a reminder: it’s always best to measure twice and cut once, particularly when flames are involved. The video Birkelund shared shows a skier colliding chest-first with fire.

Find out what we’re talking about below. Tap or click to watch.

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As Birkelund pointed out in the caption, the ring of fire attempt wasn’t recent. It went down two years ago, and based on the fact that he’s reposting the video, Birkelund turned out all right.

Imagining how colliding with a burning ring of fire mid-air could’ve gone, though, isn’t hard. Bumping into a tree or, heaven forbid, another skier, is par for the course in the mountains. Blazing objects? Less so. Ski clothes are meant to repel snow and water, not flames.

Still, Birkelund wouldn’t be the first to mix elements, and he probably won’t be the last. It helps, at least, that mountains are a mostly non-flammable environment.

Whistler Blackcomb’s famed Fire and Ice show, for instance, features a burning ring that, as far as we can tell, has a higher degree of quality control. This year, the event ran on Sundays from January through March 1.

Skiers at last season’s famed Kimbosessions gathering took a more ad-hoc approach, setting some pallets on fire for a hotter-than-usual jib setup. Magma, the crew consisting of skiers Alex Hall and Hunter Hess alongside filmer Owen Dahlberg, caught the action in a video from the event.

You probably don’t need us to tell you, but don’t try this at home. Your local mountain probably wouldn’t take kindly to a surprise bonfire.