State Emergency Operations Center activated due to potential for wildland fires
Due to the high potential for wildland fires in the central and western regions of Kansas, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka to an enhanced steady state level 3 status at 10 a.m. There are currently no fires reported.
According to the National Weather Service, record high temperatures near 90 and a dry, southerly wind are expected today. A Red Flag warning has been posted for southwest Kansas from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. with danger levels ranging from elevated to extreme. Relative humidity for the region may be as low as 10 percent with sustained southwest winds from 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 40 mph.
The SEOC is staffed by personnel from KDEM and the Kansas National Guard; no additional support has been requested at this time.
The Kansas National Guard has four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters on standby to assist local first responders as necessary. Two additional Black Hawks from the Nebraska National Guard are also on standby.
