Structural Fire Engineering witnessed an impressive advance in the last decades, thanks to the advent of performance-based design codes and the development of viable numerical tools for the analysis of the construction behaviour under this extreme load condition.

However, some recent tragic events (fires at Grenfell Tower and Notre-Dame) showed that many complex aspects require further studies fostered by a closer cooperation among scientists active in different fields.

The kinetics of natural fires and its impact on structural endurance, the response to blaze of novel and traditional materials, the mutual influence of thermal and mechanical loads, are among the subjects on which young researchers should be encouraged to focus in the forthcoming years.

In this perspective, the proposed School aims at gathering distinguished scientists sharing a hands-on approach and a critical aptitude. The goal is to convey both advanced theories and operative tools, to highlight contentious aspects and research needs at fields intersections, to fuel open discussions and participative learning. Debated issues and open problems will be in CrossFire!