On the problem of ventilation control in case of a tunnel fire event

•Correct ventilation of a tunnel during a fire event is of utmost importance.•Various philosophies for such a ‘fire ventilation’ exist, some of them have pros and cons, some have to be avoided.•Ventilation control for critical velocity might be not appropriate in case of fires in congested traffic.•Short detection and ventilation response times are vital for ventilation during the self-rescue phase.•High quality air velocity sensors and correct placement of these sensors are of utmost importance.•Case studies from two long Alpine tunnels show that various options for smoke management are available.