Fire　accidents　occur　frequently　in　highway　tunnels,　and　the　process　of　fire　source　from　generation　to　disaster　in　tunnels　is　very　fast.　It　is　of　great　significance　to　set　fire　detectors　in　highway　tunnels　to　improve　fire　control　ability,　so　as　to　ensure　the　safety　of　life　and　property.　At　present,　there　is　still　some　phenomenon　of　failing　to　report　or　false　alarm　for　fire　detectors,　and　the　sensing　parameters　and　installation　location　of　fire　detectors　need　to　be　determined　based　on　the　spatial　distribution　pattern　of　fire　sources　to　give　full　play　to　their　accurate　sensing　function.　In　this　paper,　the　spatial　distribution　pattern　of　potential　fire　sources　in　road　tunnels　is　systematically　revealed　from　the　vehicle,　road　and　tunnel　facilities　aspects,　and　the　area　within　1.5m　of　the　tunnel　headroom　from　the　road　surface　is　found　to　be　the　most　concentrated　high-risk　area　for　potential　fire　source　distribution.　Finally,　the　layout　of　fire　source　sensing　equipment　in　the　high-risk　areas　of　the　tunnel　and　the　suggestions　for　the　emergency　management　of　tunnel　fire　source　sensing　are　put　forward.　©　2023　SPIE.