July 17, 2012

Health officials are urging residents to stay alert to the extreme heat and drought conditions as Kansas bakes under the summer sun.

Temperatures are forecast to hit 100 degrees or higher for the next several days with little or no precipitation likely. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says recent modest winds are expected to dissipate by week's end, increasing concerns about air quality in the state.

Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant in the coming days, keeping up what has become a summer routine of staying hydrated and limiting exposure to the heat.

Tom Langer, KDHE's director of the bureau of environmental health, says the danger in extended periods of high heat is that residents let their guard down and become vulnerable to heat injuries.