1. A method of configuring a tunnel fire detection system comprising a linear heat sensor, comprising: a plurality of tunnel parameters describing the tunnel; a plurality of sensor parameters describing the linear heat sensor; a fire model describing aspects of fire development; calculating the fire development based on the plurality of tunnel parameters, the plurality of sensor parameters, and the fire model; and, calculating the fire alarm time, the installation point of the linear heat sensor and the alarm limit values of the detection system such that a potential fire is quickly and reliably detected.