‘We can get to zero deaths’: Phoenix heat tsar sees livable future for US’s hottest city

David Hondula, the heat expert leading efforts to make the city more comfortable, says every heat death can be prevented with the right resources

The heat expert leading efforts to make America’s hottest city more bearable insists that Phoenix could eventually eradicate heat deaths – despite July’s record-breaking death toll.

As many as 300 people may have died during the hottest ever month on record as the temperature in Phoenix topped 110F (43C) for 31 consecutive days. Heat deaths in the city have more than quadrupled in the past decade, and 2023 is on track to be another record breaking year as Phoenix braces itself for the next spell of 110F plus temperatures forecast to hit by Monday. Despite this, David Hondula, director of the city’s heat response and mitigation team, insists that every heat death can be prevented.