California will name and categorise heatwaves – should Australia follow suit?

Heatwaves kill more people in Australia than all other natural disasters combined, and some experts believe naming them might help reduce deaths

California has become the latest jurisdictions to set up a system that would categorise and name heatwaves like cyclones or hurricanes, raising questions about whether Australia should adopt a similar system to reduce heat-related deaths.

Following the recent example of Greece and the city of Seville in Spain, authorities in California will introduce a bill in January to develop the ranking system.