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21 May 2026 10:00 - 11:00

Australia branch - Tunnel Fires: When Design, Science, and Emergency Response Collide

From our Australia branch


Join our Australia branch for this free, online webinar event tackling tunnel fires from three international speakers: Dr Ricky Carvel, Karel Lambert, and Jason D'Silva.

Synopsis

Tunnel fires present some of the most complex challenges in fire safety engineering and emergency response. In this IFE Australia webinar, leading international experts explore how tunnel fires actually behave, how systems are designed to manage them, and how firefighters operate when theory meets reality.

The session brings together cutting-edge research on tunnel fire dynamics and ventilation, practical insights into firefighter intervention and air consumption under extreme conditions, and the tunnel owner’s perspective on risk, standards and operational decision-making. Through short focused presentations and an interactive Q&A, the webinar aims to bridge the gap between engineering design, operational response and client expectations in tunnel fire safety.

About the speakers


Dr Ricky Carvel
is a Senior Lecturer in Fire Dynamics at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in tunnel fire behaviour and ventilation. His research focuses on fire growth, smoke control and the interaction between fire dynamics and tunnel design.

Karel Lambert is a career firefighter with 24 years’ operational experience and a Major in the Brussels Fire Department, where he leads a platoon of 250 firefighters. A civil and fire safety engineer, researcher and international instructor, his work focuses on bringing science into firefighting practice, including tunnel firefighting, air consumption and firefighter training.

Jason D'Silva is the National President of the Institution of Fire Engineers Australia and brings the tunnel owner and client perspective to fire safety. His work focuses on fire safety systems, standards and operational requirements for road tunnels and major infrastructure.

The timings for this event are for East Coast Australia, The timings for BST are: 10:00AM-11:00AM