Kolmården Building Looping Wooden Wildfire in 2016

For many of us, the 2014 coaster season is just beginning. But one Swedish theme park is already unveiling big plans for 2016.

Kolmården Wildlife Park in Sweden announced plans today for Wildfire, a Rocky Mountain Construction coaster that will open at the zoo-turned-theme-park in spring of 2016.

Construction will begin this summer on what will become the fastest roller coaster in Europe.Watch the official Wildfire announcement video below:

Take a virtual ride on Wildfire below:

Riders will climb high above the blue waters of nearby Bråviken bay. But there won’t be much time to admire the beautiful views, as the train plunges 160 feet at an 83-degree angle, reaching a top speed of over 70 mph.

The giant wooden roller coaster will utilize Kolmården’s beautiful terrain: “For a long time, our goal has been to build the world’s best roller coaster at Kolmården. The challenge has been to develop a world class roller coaster that blends in with the extraordinary landscape and the park’s atmosphere. This has finally been made possible thanks to modern technology. We are delighted that this dream can finally be realised,” says Johan Tidstrand, principal owner of Parks and Resorts.

At the top of the first climb, you are 132 metres above the blue waters of Bråviken bay, with a fantastic view over Kolmården’s beautiful scenery. At the crest, the view suddenly gives way as you plunge 49 metres down toward the bottom of the ravine at an 83-degree angle in free fall. Your speed will pass 110 km/h as you approach the start of the next ascent and enter an ‘Inverted Zero G Stall’. You are weightless! The train speeds onwards through the woods along the 1.3 kilometre track. Wildfire races between the treetops and the sensation that the laws of physics are being broken continues right up to the end.

Wildfire follows Silver Dollar City’s Outlaw Run and Six Flags Great America’s Goliath as Rocky Mountain Construction coasters built from the ground up. It will be the first of its type built outside of the United States.

In true Rocky Mountain Construction fashion, the coaster will contain three inversions and 12 airtime hills (four of which will produce negative-G forces).

“We have taken some of the best elements of the world’s best roller coasters, added new ideas and created a unique ride. The result is Wildfire, a ride with so much air time, action and intensity that it has no equal. The two-minute ride through Kolmården’s dramatic terrain high above the waters of Bråviken bay, will make it the world’s best wooden coaster,” says Peter Osbeck, ride manager at Kolmården.

“Wildfire, along with the other investments at the park, is being built in order to develop Kolmården as one of Sweden’s top destinations. By continuously expanding the park, Kolmården will become an even better destination and we can attract more visitors. This will enable us to reach out to more people with our public education initiatives,” says Mats Olsson, CEO at Kolmården.

According to Kolmården, the name Wildfire was not chosen at random: “Wildfires helped to shape the landscape and have been critical to the unique biodiversity that has been preserved in the area until this day.”

Wildfire Statistics