Firewalls

THE recent disastrous fire that raged through a part of Khayelitsha reminded me of an idea I wrote about some three years ago that if implemented would have minimised the recent damage. My plan was simply to build parallel short rows of vibracrete walls 3 to 3.5m high at right angles to the prevailing wind direction in a cellular fashion. These walls are non-flammable and people could also use them as one of the walls for their shacks. Then when the inevitable happens these walls will contain the fires to one cell. This is an inexpensive short-term solution to an ongoing problem that could be erected in a few short weeks.

Eugene Moll Kirstenhof